


The Spring of Life

by 3ALover



Series: 3ALover Mpreg [5]
Category: Figure Skating RPF
Genre: Discussion of Abortion, Eventual Happy Ending, Falling In Love, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Mpreg, Past Unhealthy Relationship, Post-Canon, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-24
Updated: 2019-04-02
Packaged: 2019-12-06 21:52:45
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 33,901
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18225890
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/3ALover/pseuds/3ALover
Summary: Jason learns that a friend is in need and decides it's up to him to help him... and become a father in the process.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is actually an old fic I never posted because the beginning is such crap. Honestly I don't like the way it's written, but you know what? I hate having stories from old unposted. If nobody likes it, nobody likes it. That's okay. I just don't like having dusty WIPS sitting to rot. I'm going to finish this. It's half-done already. I just need to finish the ending.

Shoma Uno had always been one of Jason’s favorite people. He was funny in a very subdued way. He didn’t smile or laugh very often, but when he giggled Jason’s whole heart lit up with joy. They grew up together, and Jason watched Shoma progress from an awkward little boy to a truly incredible man, and he never once treated Jason like he wasn’t a rival just because he was a top skater and Jason fell back as the rest of the field progressed. They always had fun when they were together, and even if they didn’t text and message much, it was nothing to go two weeks with no contact and then receive a meme from Shoma that had him laughing his head off. 

After a banner season for Jason where he got a small silver medal at Worlds - _Worlds_ \- he was excited to go to World Team Trophy and just have fun with his friends and fellow skaters without the same pressure as usual. Shoma wasn’t his normal self, but it had been a hard Worlds for him and Jason could understand him losing a little of his faith in himself. During practice one day, Shoma was so off he kept falling and then seeming panicked that he fell. After practice, Jason followed him to the locker room and watched with a heavy heart as he stumbled to the bathroom and Jason could hear the sound of violent retching. 

When they all left, Jason decided to go find some ginger tea and go visit Shoma at his room. He must be sick with nerves after such a bad Worlds and the need to redeem himself here. When he got to the hotel room, Shoma answered the door with a pallor that was nearly green-tinted and sweat on his face. “Oh. I thought you were my brother,” he said, looking around nervously.

Jason held up the box of tea. “Can I come in? You look like you’re sick. I brought you some tea. I hope it helps.”

Shoma looked torn, but the lure of ginger tea while he was nauseated must have been what made him let him in. “Okay.” They went inside and Jason guided Shoma to sit down while he turned on the coffee maker to heat up water for tea. “Thank you for caring for me,” Shoma said gratefully and Jason just tutted.

“You’re one of my oldest friends, Shoma-kun, when have you ever known me to not want to make sure people around me are okay?” he asked. When he got the hot water and put the tea bag in, he walked over to the bed. “I don’t have any sugar, sorry,” he said, and Shoma chuckled bitterly.

“I have to cut down on the sugar anyways,” he mumbled. He took the tea and held it to warm his hands while he waited for it to cool. “Was it that obvious I’m not well?” Shoma asked softly.

Jason sat beside him and patted his leg. “You were puking in the locker room after practice. It was hard to miss. I think Yuzuru wanted to check on you but was too afraid he’ll catch whatever you’ve got with his shitty immune system.”

Shoma laughed humorlessly. “Oh, I don’t think that’s something he has to worry about,” he said. “Unless you know something about him I don’t.”

Jason frowned in confusion. “What’s wrong, Shoma?” 

Shoma smiled sadly. “I can’t tell you. I’m sorry, I just don’t want anybody but Itsuki knowing just yet. I’m still- I’m still processing.”

Jason’s blood ran cold. “Shoma… are you…are you _sick_ sick? Please, tell me you’re going to be okay,” he said desperately. 

Shoma nodded quietly. “I’m not dying.”

“Oh thank God, you scared me,” Jason said, then wrapped his arms around Shoma. “I can’t imagine losing you, Sho. You’re important to me.”

Shoma leaned his head against Jason’s shoulder. “Thank you. For always being my friend,” he said, closing his eyes. “You’re a good person, Jason. The whole skating community doesn’t deserve you.”

Jason was just about to argue and dismiss that, but the door beeped as it was unlocked and opened. “Okay, so I got the only thing I could find that said ‘morning sicken-“

“ITSUKI!” Shoma cried in alarm, sloshing tea onto his hand, only to curse. “Fuck, fuck, fuck, no this isn’t happening,” he gasped.

“Shoma?!” Itsuki came around the corner and stopped, eyes going wide and face flushing when he saw Jason sitting beside Shoma, eyes wide as he stared at Itsuki in shock. “Oh fuck.”

Morning sickness. Jason’s pulse pounded and he looked at Shoma. “Morning sickness?! Did I understand him correctly? That- you-“

Shoma sat the tea aside and crumpled forward in tears, laying over his knees and crying. Itsuki rushed over to him and knelt in front of him, and Jason just stared as Itsuki hugged him, eyes crushed shut as he cradled his big brother like he was the older one. “It’s okay. I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry, I didn’t think to make sure you were alone.”

“It’s not your fault,” Shoma whimpered, hugging Itsuki back. “It’s okay.”

“Oh Shoma,” Jason whispered. Shoma sat up, looking at him with an utterly heartbroken expression. “I’m guess it isn’t happy news, is it?” he asked softly. 

Shoma sniffled and shook his head. “I- I found out not long ago. I decided not to get an abortion, but then- then m-my boyfriend. He left. I thought it might be okay, maybe I could- could have a baby and make it still work with skating. But now-“ He whimpered. “I don’t know what I’m doing,” he confessed. “Mom and dad kicked me out.”

“What?!” Jason asked, suddenly enraged. “What would- how- that-“ He gritted his teeth. “They’re your parents! How could they do that?!”

Shoma looked up at him with dull eyes. “I’m twenty-one, single, a _man_ , and pregnant. You know this culture. Men get abortions. Men don’t have babies. I just- I love kids so I thought maybe it would work out.” He looked down at his knees. “Now I- I don’t have a choice. I’ll finish this competition and- and get an abortion.”

Jason looked at Shoma and just grabbed him up in a hug, squeezing tight. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. It’s going to be okay, though. I promise.” 

Shoma closed his eyes and leaned his head against Jason. “Maybe.”

~

Watching Shoma struggle was hard, even if it wasn’t that serious of a competition. Jason hated seeing him walking around like a ghost. During the banquet, Itsuki found him and took him aside. They walked to an abandoned corridor and Itsuki looked around before lowering his voice. “Since you know about it, I want to ask you a favor,” he whispered furtively. “Talk Shoma out of this.”

Jason frowned. “What? It’s not my place to try and influence-“

“Shoma loves that baby already,” Itsuki pleaded. “He was terrified, but happy when he found out. Shoma may not be the most responsible person and no, he can’t parent a child alone, they would both die, but logic or not, my brother _loves_ his baby,” he pleaded. “I’ve tried to talk him out of getting an abortion. I offered to drop out of school and raise the baby while he’s skating, but that just made him more determined! He will never recover if he has an abortion. He will be heartbroken for the rest of his life. Please,” he begged. “My brother is the most important person in the world to me. I love him so much because he has always cared for me and been the best brother ever. I can’t watch him suffer this much.”

Jason’s heart broke just thinking about it. “Itsuki… it’s still not my place,” he whispered.

“You are his friend! You have to try,” Itsuki urged. “If he has an abortion, his career will be over far more than if he doesn’t. He’s young, he can take a season off and come back strong. If he loses his heart he won’t ever skate again. Are you ready to never see him again?” he challenged.

Jason glared. “That’s not fair,” he argued, but the truth stood. “Why doesn’t he just- just beg your parents to help him?”

“Because they’re evil,” Itsuki said firmly. “They didn’t know he is gay. They freaked out when he confessed he’s gay, and when he said the reason he told them is because he’s pregnant and needs help, they kicked him out and told him to never come home and said I couldn’t go see him anymore. Obviously, they had to accept they can’t keep me away from my brother, but they’re nothing to me now,” he said harshly. 

Jason groaned. “What about this boyfriend? Is there any chance-“

“No,” Itsuki said coldly. “If I ever see him again, I’ll murder him with my bare hands.” It shouldn’t have been scary to hear those words from a teenage boy, but the fire in Itsuki’s eyes made it seem like he meant it. “Please. Talk to him. I’m begging you. I don’t want to watch my brother make a mistake he will regret for the rest of his life.”

Itsuki thanked him for his time and left him, and all Jason could do was lean his back against the wall and breathe. He had no idea what the hell he could do, but it was obvious that Itsuki truly believed that Shoma would be a shell of who he was if he did this. If he aborted his baby it would kill the spark that made Shoma Uno such a vibrant and wonderful person. Jason’s heart ached at the thought that his friend might cease to be the person he knew and loved. 

~

Jason was running out of time and decided that, if he was really going to do what Itsuki asked, he was going to have to do something drastic. He looked at Yuzuru as they sat on the bus back to the hotel. “If you had a friend who was in trouble and the only way you could help them was by doing something absolutely crazy and life-altering, would you do it?”

Yuzuru looked surprised. “I guess it depends on the trouble. And what crazy life-altering thing it was I was going to do.”

Jason bit his lip, trying to find a way to be discreet. “I have a friend. They’re going to make a decision that will be a terrible mistake and break their spirit possibly forever, but they feel like they don’t have any other choice. I- I’m thinking about giving them another choice by offering to take some of the burden with them so that they don’t have to choose between their future and breaking their spirit.”

Yuzuru smiled warmly. “You’re a good person,” he said simply. “You would take on the burden of everyone around you if it helped those you love, Jason. I know you. I want to think I could be the same, but I’m not sure I’m not too selfish for that,” he admitted. “If taking on the burden hurts you but saves their spirit from being broken, I trust you would do that and accept the hardships it brings. I am very different, Jason,” he reminded him. “I selfishly took my mother away from my father and sister and continue to do so even though I should be old enough to not need her. You would never do something so selfish. You are the type who would throw yourself in front of any burden to save those you love. You are braver than me in so many ways. The fact you are even asking me tells me you already know what you want to do.”

Jason was startled, but nodded. “I- I hadn’t even realized it. But I guess I was asking for validation in the choice I already made.”

Yuzuru grabbed his hand with a warm smile. “You’re courageous and brave and I don’t think you know how much all of us look up to you. I may be the skater everybody wants to be at the rink, but you are the person everybody wants to be.”

Jason smiled, biting back tears. “That’s very sweet, Yuzuru.”

Yuzuru grinned. “It’s just honest. I didn’t have any opinion about you joining our team, but now that we went through a season with you there, I am so happy Tracy wanted to keep you. You’ve helped everybody and you are truly part of our family.”

Jason sniffled and couldn’t help but hug Yuzuru suddenly. “Thank you. I think I needed to hear that. I- I think I’m ready to share my friend’s burden and be the person you think I am.”

“Of course you are. You’re you,” Yuzuru said simply, hugging him back just as tightly. 

~

Jason went straight to Shoma’s hotel room. He knew he would be back because he left early. When he knocked, Shoma opened the door with a confused look. “Jason? Why are you back already?”

“Can we talk?” he asked.

Shoma nodded. “Itsuki is still out. It’s fine,” he said, leading the way in. Jason took off his shoes and climbed onto the bed, sitting knee to knee with Shoma as they were both cross-legged. “What do you want to talk about?”

“I have a plan,” Jason started. “Please let me tell you my whole plan before you interrupt?” Shoma nodded, looking confused. “I think that- that you want this baby,” he said and Shoma’s face fell and his eyes showed nothing but sorrow. “I think you love this baby. I think that- that if you have an abortion because you feel there is no other option and that you can’t provide a good life for your baby alone, you will regret it for the rest of your life. The sorrow on your face when you said you have no choice told me everything.” He reached out and put a hand on Shoma’s knee. “I want to help you so you can have your baby and it have a good life. I know you care less about your career than you do giving your child a good life. I know you’re not the best on your own. Doubtless, you’re afraid you will make your child suffer and you would rather not have it than give it a bad life. But I can help.” He smiled. “I want you to move to Toronto with me.” Shoma’s eyes widened and his jaw dropped. “I have a big enough apartment for two and a baby. I- I’m great with children. You can live with me and we can work out your training situation after you’re ready to come back to skating. But for now, you will obviously take off next season. I can help you raise your baby and we can do this together. You don’t have to be alone.”

“But you- I-“ Shoma spluttered. “You’re not in any way obligated to do this, Jason! That’s just- it’s crazy! Why would you offer-“

“Because you’re my friend and I love you,” Jason said softly. “I may not be this baby’s father, and we may not be a couple, but I love you as my friend and I can be the other parent you need to make it possible to raise your child to a good life. We get along. We can live together in happiness. If it’s easier, we can lie and tell everybody that finds out we are a couple and I am the father. I don’t care,” he said softly. “I just want what is best for you, and aborting a baby you love is not good for you. It will break your heart, Shoma.”

Shoma bit his lip as tears welled into his eyes. “I know it will. It already has. I- I love this baby so much,” he choked out, putting a hand to his stomach. “I’m only ten weeks and I had dreams of- of my baby and what it might look like and what it is. But I am a disaster. I would ruin this child’s life if I don’t fail at keeping it alive on my own. I would rather break my own heart than ruin my child’s life.”

Jason shook his head. “Come with me. Let me help you. Please, if you love your baby, if you want this baby, let me help you.”

Shoma let out a soft sob. “But you would be sacrificing so much. It’s not fair to ask-“

“You’re not asking, I’m offering,” Jason chastised. He leaned in and pressed a kiss to the top of Shoma’s bowed head. “Please think about it. You’re my friend and I love you. I only want to help. I’ll leave you alone to think now, but please. Don’t dismiss it.”

Jason left Shoma alone, and on his way out, he saw his hands crossed over his flat stomach in a clear sign that Shoma desperately wanted to keep that baby. Jason never wanted to see someone suffer what Shoma would if he chose to end the pregnancy. 

~

Jason was getting ready to leave the next morning when a knock came at his door. He went to open it and found Shoma standing there with his luggage and a terrified look in his eyes. “I want to come to Canada with you,” he said without any other greeting. “Please help me?”

Jason smiled warmly and pulled him into a hug, somehow both terrified and relieved. “Okay. Let’s do this then. Team Shoma/Jason/Baby,” he said and Shoma let out a confused sob, clinging to him tightly as he burst into tears.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Team Shoma/Jason/Baby go to Canada to start their family together!

They spent the flight back to Canada – they had went to his home to pack and booked new flights for a few days later – discussing what they would do. Shoma requested and Jason agreed he would rather just lie to everybody and say he was the father than try to explain to everyone that he was going to be friend-parenting with Shoma. Jason was gay and eternally single so it was no burden. Shoma felt bad about lying to his coaches, but Jason promised that if they found out the truth, it would be fine. Shoma didn’t want the shame of being a single parent. Even if they were just ‘boyfriends’ not married, it would be less shameful. Jason had to plan on how to convince people about them when he had previously shown no interest in Shoma, but the easy part was that Shoma agreed he could tell his family the truth. Lying to Brian and Tracy would be hard, but lying to his mom and dad was impossible. 

“I always planned on having kids one day,” Jason comforted. “I only ask that if you let me raise this baby with you, you let me continue to be their father when you move on from me and meet another person,” he asked gently.

Shoma looked surprised. “Of course. You’re raising this child with me. You are the father in any way that counts. I would never try and just cut you off if I fall in love some day.” He squeezed Jason’s hand. “Besides, my baby will want its father even if I marry another. They will love you as a parent. I would never hurt my baby that way.”

Jason melted some every time Shoma said ‘my baby’. The horrible anguish was gone from his eyes now that he knew he didn’t have to lose the baby he wanted so badly. “Our baby,” he whispered gently, and Shoma’s eyes just widened with joy.

“Our baby,” he agreed, giggling helplessly as he leaned into Jason’s side. “This is crazy. I’m having a baby with my friend. This is- this is so much.”

“It’s not going to be easy,” Jason agreed. “But we’ll make it work.” He chuckled. “Our baby will be Canadian. An American and a Japanese and a Canadian baby.”

Shoma made a face. “I like Canada. It’s nice. It will be okay to have our baby there.”

~

Rather than cancel his planned vacation with his family, he decided to use it as an opportunity to let Shoma get used to Canada on his own in a full-exposure-therapy type of way, and as a good way to tell his parents and siblings the big news. They were going hiking in the mountains and he waited until they were all sitting around the fire, talking, to bring it up. “Guys, I- um – I have news. Big news,” he said, shivering in his jacket even by the warm fire. He looked around the fire at his family, the people who made him who he was, and his eyes landed on his dad when he finally spoke. “I’m going to be a dad,” he said softly.

Instantly there were gasps and cheers and questions, and he smiled at the way his brother and sister stood up and started dancing around the fire. His mother, however, looked confused. “But how? You’re single, aren’t you?” she asked.

Jason chuckled and nodded. “That’s the weirder part. Guys, come back,” he called to his siblings. When everybody was settled. “The baby isn’t actually mine,” he started with and they looked even more confused. “A close friend of mine got pregnant unexpectedly and his boyfriend abandoned him. He already loves his baby but was going to have an abortion because he didn’t think he could provide a child a good life alone. He wanted the baby so much, and I didn’t want him to break his own heart that way, so I offered to raise the baby with him. We’re not dating, but he just moved in with me and we’re getting ready to do this parenting thing together,” he said, nodding as he finished. “So yeah. He agreed, since we’re doing this, I’m 100% this baby’s father, and I want to go into it feeling that way. So it’s no different than adopting really. It’s going to be just as much my baby as if I was the biological father,” he said, then smiled brightly. “I’m really excited. It’s sudden and unexpected, but after all we’ve talked about and been through, we’re ready to do this.” He laughed. “I’m gonna be a dad.”

Jason’s parents exchanged a look before getting up to come hug him. “We are so proud of you,” his mother said, hugging him. “God, we raised you to be such a great man. You’re so kind and so brave.”

“If this is what you want, we support you entirely,” his father agreed. “I’m so happy for you. You will be an amazing dad.”

Jason smiled wetly up at him. “I had a good teacher,” he said, and then cried when his father teared up. “Oh God, don’t you cry!”

“Too late,” his mother said, and he just sat there, squished between his parents as they hugged him. 

“When can we meet him?” his dad asked eagerly. “If my son is having a child, I want to meet the other father,” he urged.

Jason beamed. “I’ll ask Shoma when he feels like telling people. He’s eleven weeks so it’s a while before we have to tell people,” he added. 

“Wait, Shoma?!” His mother beamed. “Oh I love Shoma! He’s so adorable! Wow, he’s young isn’t he?”

Jason shrugged. “He’s twenty-one so not crazy young.” He smiled sadly. “His parents kicked him out and entirely refused to acknowledge him when he went to them for help. His brother is the only one who supported him. With his boyfriend abandoning him and his parents doing the same, I saw how badly he wants this baby and decided to help. And I love kids. I wasn’t planning on having any children so young, but I would rather become a father early than watch him suffer the heartbreak of ending a wanted pregnancy.”

“Oh God, I can’t imagine,” his mother sighed. “How could you turn away your child?” she asked, shaking her head.

“You’re doing something amazing, Bro, and I love you so much,” Dylan said warmly.

“Yeah, we love you, Jase. We’ll help you out if you ever need it.” Jordan beamed, looking at her brother. “Because WE’RE GOING TO BE AUNT AND UNCLE!” she cheered, and Dylan jumped up, dancing around with her. 

Jason beamed as he basked in his parents embrace and watched his siblings dancing around. It struck him that one day, this might be him. He might be the parent hugging his child and celebrating an upcoming birth. He closed his eyes and just sighed, because this was truly what reminded him family was wonderful and building a family with Shoma would be worth every hardship they faced. 

~

Shoma chose to call Machiko and Mihoko while Jason was away and he was glad Jason hadn’t been there. The nervousness of knowing Jason was watching would have killed him. “Hi,” he said when Mihoko answered.

“OH thank GOD! Where are you?! You left and didn’t tell us where you were going and haven’t been answering our calls! Your parents said they didn’t know where you were and we panicked!” Mihoko said.

“You know better than to sneak off on me,” Machiko said, and he laughed wetly.

“I- I needed to do something and make some choices.” He swallowed hard. “I love you both like family so you need to know that I- I’m in Canada now. I moved to Canada.”

“WHAT?!”

He sighed. “I’m taking next season off. If you both would deem to help me again the next off-season, I don’t want to quit skating. I want- I want to go to the Olympics again. I want to be the best skater I can be.”

“Then why are you taking a season off? That’s very risky,” Mihoko urged.

He sniffled. “Because I-I’m pregnant,” he whispered. “I’m pregnant and I moved to Canada to have my baby and raise it with the- the father.”

There was a long silence before they both freaked out. “WHAT?!” “PREGNANT?!” “WHAT ABOUT AN ABORTION?!” “DON’T THROW YOUR TRAINING AWAY!”

He let out a soft sob. “I’m not throwing my life away. Sensei, I love my baby,” he whimpered. “I love my baby so much. Please. He’s going to help me. We’re going to do this together. As a team. I can skate again after I give birth and recover. I promise, I’ll keep in shape, I’ll still skate enough to stay trained. I just need a season off for this. Please, please don’t abandon me like my mom did?” he pleaded. 

After a long silence he heard a rasped breath. “Did your parents reject you?” Machiko asked, and he let out a sob. “Oh, Shoma,” she sighed. “Shoma, I can’t support this choice. But I will always support you. You came to me as just a toddler. I did not grow and develop an incredible athlete just to abandon him over a hardship.”

Shoma cried harder, and Mihoko spoke with a teary voice as well. “It’s okay. Shoma, it’s okay. We love you. We’re always going to support you. I promise, you can have this baby and then come right back to us. I promise, I will always keep a spot open for you. Of all my skaters, you’re my most treasured one. We raised you from a tiny boy with developmental delays to a fighter who is worthy of the longest podium streak in skating history. If you really want this child that much, I will always support you.”

Shoma cried so hard he couldn’t speak, but they just kept telling him over and over that they always would support him. He cried because he didn’t deserve it. He cried because his own parents didn’t love him as much as his coaches. He cried because his baby was never going to feel unloved like he did. He cried until he calmed down enough to thank them for their kindness and support and promised to keep them updated on his life and his pregnancy along the way. 

~

While Jason was away, Shoma realized he needed to line up a doctor in Toronto. He hadn’t gone to the doctor since the initial pregnancy visit at eight weeks and he was almost twelve now. That was not safe. The problem was, he didn’t speak English worth shit. He needed help and didn’t want to wait until Jason was back because it would be another week. He decided to bite the bullet and reach out to Yuzuru, who he knew was already back and doing pre-ice-show training. 

“Shoma-kun!” Yuzuru said brightly when he answered the call. “What’s up? Why are you calling me this time of day?”

Shoma bit his lip. “I’m in Canada and I need help. I- um. I need to find a doctor. But I don’t speak English like you can.”

“What?! Why are you in Canada?! And why do you need a doctor? Are you hurt?” Yuzuru demanded.

Shoma sighed and hung his head. “I- I need a pregnancy doctor,” he said softly. “I’m pregnant, Yuzu-kun.”

“OH MY GOD!” Yuzuru screeched. “BABIES! YAY! AHHHH You’re in Canada and pregnant?! I need to see you! Why are you here? Oh my GOD babies! Yes, of course, I’ll look for a doctor right away and help you translate! I’M EXCITED SHOMA YOU ARE HAVING A BABY!” he cried excitedly. “MOM! MOM SHOMA-KUN IS HAVING A BABY!”

Shoma groaned and blushed. “Well, at least you’re enthusiastic.”

“A BABY!” Yuzuru screeched. Shoma had to hold his phone away from his ear after that. 

~

Yuzuru helped him set up an appointment, and upon hearing that he hadn’t seen a doctor for his whole first trimester apart from the confirmation visit, the doctor agreed to fit him in early in the morning, before she had any other patients that day. 

Yuzuru’s mom drove them and Yuzuru spent the whole time gushing about how excited he was and wanting to feel Shoma’s tummy. “There’s nothing to feel yet, Dumbass,” Shoma grumbled, then flushed. “I’m so sorry, Mrs. Hanyu!” he said quickly.

Yuzuru pouted. “That’s dumb. I want to feel a baby in your tummy!” He sighed happily. “I can’t wait to have babies. I don’t know if I want to get pregnant though.”

Shoma looked at Yuzuru in alarm, then nodded his head to his mom. She must have seen him in the rearview mirror though, because she just chuckled. “Oh, did you really think that I haven’t noticed my son’s attention to handsome men?” she asked. “You need to learn to cook your own food and do your own laundry before you have a baby, Yuzu,” she reminded him. 

Shoma snorted. “Why do you think I moved to Canada? I can’t keep myself alive, I would last a week with a baby by myself.”

“Oh? So your partner is here?” she asked and Yuzuru turned on him with narrowed eyes. 

“Shoma-kun, who are you dating in Canada? Tell me you’re not dating an old guy!” he demanded.

Shoma flushed. “No!”

“Then who?” he asked.

Shoma ducked his head. “I can’t say. I haven’t asked him if people know he’s gay so I- I don’t want to hurt him.”

Yuzuru cooed. “Awwww you love him! That’s so sweet!”

Shoma snorted. “I’m having his baby, I think that if I didn’t love him, I probably wouldn’t have moved here to raise a child with him.”

~

“Well, from what I can tell, the baby is developing well,” Dr. Talbot said, looking at Yuzuru with a smile. “Are you the father?”

Yuzuru snorted. “No,” he said, giggling. “Shoma is like baby brother to me,” he said, smiling at Shoma. “She asked if I was the father, ha!”

Shoma scrunched his nose. “Ew.”

Dr. Talbot chuckled. “Can you help me translate to him that the baby is currently developing on track. It’s a little small, but nothing to worry about. It’s just on the smaller end of the healthy scale.”

Yuzuru explained, and Shoma nodded. “Tell her that I was born premature and my brother was full term but still very small. I was only 900 grams and Itsuki was only 2 kilograms.”

Yuzuru explained to her and she looked surprised. “Wow, it’s a wonder you didn’t suffer any developmental delays and went on to be an athlete,” she said, smiling. “It happens sometimes. If your brother was that small full term, you were probably better developed than your size suggested.” She noted it down. “Since you have a family history of low birth weight, we’ll keep a watch on your baby.”

Shoma nodded, looking at the still shot still on the screen from the doctor examining the baby. At twelve weeks, it looked like a little shape with arms and legs. He smiled fondly as he realized his baby was really in there.

“Now,” Dr. Talbot said gently, looking at Shoma though she spoke to Yuzuru. “Your file says you aren’t married. I don’t mean to be insensitive at all, but will the father be attending the next visit?” she asked carefully.

Yuzuru looked at Shoma and asked. “I think she thinks you’re alone and pregnant,” he added.

Shoma smiled brightly and nodded. “Yes, he’s going to come next time as long as we’re both here.”

Yuzuru looked at him curiously. “It’s a skater, isnt it?” he asked, and Shoma blushed. He looked at the doctor. “He says yes, the father is coming, he moved here to be with him, but he won’t tell me who because I’m betting it’s another figure skater,” he said, and Dr. Talbot chuckled.

“Well, I’m sure he has his reasons for not telling,” she said. “Well, I’m going to write him a prescription for prenatal vitamins and some extra supplements since he has decided to skate this summer’s ice shows.”

Yuzuru nodded. “Is that safe?” he asked, and she nodded.

“Oh yeah. There won’t be as much stress as competition, I’m told, so the skating is safe, I would be just worried about the stress of competing. He just will be going through a lot of exercise so he needs to make up for some lack in nutrients.” She stood up. “Well, we’re finished here. If he has any questions, you can call me and translate or us again. If you prefer to get a real translator in case I have any medical terminology you aren’t familiar with, I can arrange that,” she added.

Yuzuru smiled and nodded. “Thank you. I will talk about it with him.”

Shoma looked at Yuzuru. “That was a lot of stuff said, what’s up?”

Yuzuru patted his leg. “Don’t worry. I’ll explain in the car.”

She handed Shoma a slip of paper. “And before you go, I thought you might like this, to show the father,” she said, and when Shoma looked at it, Yuzuru cooed at the soft look on his face. Yuzuru leaned over and beamed too. 

It was a photo of the baby from the scan.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am posting so fast because this fic was already written further than even this much I have posted before I revived it, and since I have revived it, I've had a light work-load so I have been writing it at the office. Just don't tell my boss! Today I wrote 5,000 words at work! I got no work done but that's okay, I won't get fired. jajajaja

When Jason got back home, he got home after Shoma went to bed and woke up while Shoma was still sleeping, so when he went to the cricket club for pre-ice-show practice, he was surprised to get there and find everybody on ice buzzing with excitement. “What’s up?” he asked as he sat to put on his skates.”

Brian chuckled. “Apparently, Shoma Uno is pregnant,” he said, and Jason nearly choked on his own spit.

“JASON! DID YOU HEAR?!” Yuzuru positively screeched, skating over. “Yesterday Shoma calls me and he says he in Canada and pregnant and need help finding baby doctor! SHOMA IS HAVING A BABY!” he cheered excitedly.

Jason flushed and ducked his head. “Um. Yeah. I know.” He cleared his throat, deciding to just get it over with. “I- I’m the father,” he announced bravely.

Yuzuru gasped and Brian looked at him so fast his neck cracked audibly. “You’re what?!”

Jason nodded, smiling bashfully. “He’s living with me since we’re having a baby. I didn’t know we were telling everybody, though,” he added. 

Brian suddenly glared at Yuzuru. “Did he give you permission to tell people?” 

Yuzuru blinked, then smiled his most innocent smile. “Maybe not?”

“Yuzu! That’s very private!”

“But it SUCH GOOD NEWS!” he cried joyfully. “JASON YOU BECOME FATHER! BABIES!” he squealed, skating away. “Oh my God, Shoma baby! Look like Shoma but tiny!” AHHHHH!” he positively screeched and fell to the ice, kicking excitedly.

Jason snorted and Brian rolled his eyes. “I think you could say if you ever need a babysitter, he’s your guy,” he said, and then looked at Jason closely. “You guys are gonna have a kid?”

Jason nodded. “Yeah. Neither of us are retiring, he’s just taking some time off while he’s pregnant,” he said fondly. “He still wants to go to Beijing, and I believe in him. It won’t be easy raising a child and training, but we both have what it takes. We can do this.”

Brian nodded slowly. “Okay. As long as you’re dedicated I won’t give you a hard time.” He patted him on the back. “Congratulations. I didn’t even know you were seeing anybody.”

Jason smiled warmly. “It was kind of something we kept quiet, but with the baby, it’s no use. Everybody will know eventually.” He beamed. “My parents were so happy and my brother and sister just danced around like Yuzuru.”

Brian looked at him carefully. “Seeing you with the young ones, I can only say you’ll be a great dad. Good luck.”

“Thank you, Brian,” Jason said, then hugged him suddenly. “Thanks for supporting me!”

Brian chuckled and patted his back. “Well it won’t be easy, but skaters have had children before. You are good enough and focused. I think you can do it.”

“I’m going to do my best,” Jason said earnestly. 

~

Shoma woke up to Jason stroking his hair. He smiled and wiggled around. “Hey,” he greeted tiredly.

“So, at the rink, Yuzuru has lost his mind and told everybody who he can that we’re having a baby.” Shoma’s eyes shot open and he sat up, but Jason shushed him and gently guided him back down. “Don’t freak out. It’s okay.”

“I’m going to kill him,” Shoma threatened, whining. “Jasoooon.”

Jason smiled. “It’s okay. Everybody is happy. Tracy cried. They are so happy for us to be parents. I’m not even worried.” He smiled at Shoma. “You’re special to me and our baby will be everything to me.”

Shoma smiled sadly. “I hope so.” He smiled. “My coaches are supporting me. It seems the only people to react badly are my mom and dad. So it’s better than I feared.” 

Jason nodded. “We’re going to do this together. It’s going to be fine.” He casually rested a hand on Shoma’s belly over the covers. “Our baby will be okay. I know it.”

Shoma felt his throat constricting. “Thank you,” he whispered. “Thank you for doing this with me. Thank you for loving a baby you don’t have to love.”

Jason shushed him and leaned in to hug him lightly. “You’re my friend. Now you’re my partner even if we’re not in love. Of course I love this baby. I chose to love it and I chose to be a father. This is what I want. It’s what we’re going to do together. You can count on me, I promise.”

Shoma smiled and fought a wave of butterflies. “Thank you.” He bit his lip and lifted the corner of the covers. “Cuddles?” he asked and Jason beamed.

“Always,” he said, moving to take off his jeans and then crawl into Shoma’s bed in boxers and his tee-shirt. Shoma turned around, sighing in relief when Jason spooned him, and wrapped an arm around him, splaying his hand over Shoma’s still-flat stomach. “Mmmm. So warm,” Jason sighed, snuggling Shoma close. 

Shoma sighed, relaxing. “I love being the little spoon,” he confessed. “Shino would always-“ He stopped and bit his lip. “Never mind.”

“Shino? Is that his name?” Jason asked gently. 

Shoma nodded. “I thought I loved him. But- but he wasn’t a good person,” he admitted. “I’m only pregnant because he lied about using a condom.”

Jason gasped. “Oh my God.”

Shoma nodded, closing his eyes. “I wasn’t too mad at first, but looking back, that- that was really horrible of him. God knows how many times he did it. He opened it and then didn’t put it on. Just did it so I heard it and saw an unrolled condom laying on the bed. I only caught him the last time, when he came in me instead of pulling out and ‘taking it off’ to come on my back,” he whispered. “You don’t have to come to get pregnant. There can be semen before he actually comes. He said he thought it was safe.” He snorted. “Even without getting pregnant, I’m lucky he didn’t give me anything. I should have wondered why he liked to have sex where I was facedown.” He groaned. “Even after I got pregnant and he confessed, I thought- I thought I could forgive him. But then he told me he didn’t want anything to do with me and called me a ‘slut’ for having sex if I wasn’t ready to deal with the consequences.” He snorted. “Fuck him.”

Jason held him closer and Shoma closed his eyes. “It’s okay. You never have to see him again. If he didn’t want this baby, that’s fine. I do. I’m this baby’s father. I’ll never lie to you or hurt you and I’ll only ever be good to our baby.”

Shoma smiled sadly. “I trust you, Jason. I trust you more than most people.”

Jason nodded. “Besides. Sex is normal and healthy. Only assholes who ruin safe sex are the ‘sluts’. You’re a young, healthy man. I mean, I haven’t done it in a while, I’ve been single for a year, but it’s fine to have sex. He’s the asshole for lying about it.” 

Shoma nodded. “But it’s okay. Our baby resulted from that asshole,” he said, and smiled when Jason rubbed his belly again. “We’re going to be okay, right, Jason?”

“Absolutely,” Jason promised. “Our baby will be happy and loved and that’s all that ever matters.”

~

Jason was anxious to let Shoma go do ice shows without him in Japan while he did ice shows in the US, but Shoma reassured him that they needed the money. “My parents cut me off so I’m not rich anymore,” Shoma reassured him. He held Jason’s hands, smiling at him warmly as they got ready to part and go on separate flights. “It’s fine. I have money, you have money, we just need this summer’s pay to help us out, okay?”

Jason nodded. “My mom offered to pay for my skating expenses for next season so I can help take care of you and the baby. I’ll pay her back later,” he explained. “We’re going to be okay. Besides, this gives you a chance to say goodbye to skating for a season.”

Shoma was sad, but nodded. “And I’ll take good care of the baby. I won’t do any quads,” he promised. “I will be careful with my falls and I’ll watch my nutrition and take the vitamins the doctor gave me.” He hugged Jason, who held him close. “Five weeks and we’ll be back home so you can care for us,” he said, and Jason got oddly choked up at Shoma referring to himself and the baby as ‘we’. “And when I get back, I might be showing! You can greet the baby for real!” 

Jason beamed. “I can’t wait.” He subtly slipped a hand between them, using their jackets to hide his hand. “Goodbye, Baby. Daddy will see you soon. Tousan will take good care of you while you’re gone,” he whispered, looking down between them. 

“Oh wow, I’ve never thought about that. You’re not Tousan,” Shoma said, grinning. “It’s sweet though. I love it.” 

“I’ll teach the baby English, too, don’t worry,” Jason said, pulling back from their hug. “Alright, be safe. Look after our baby, Sho.”

“I will,” he promised, picking up his bag as he waved at Jason and left. Jason fought the wave of nerves he had over Shoma and the baby’s safety, but he had confidence it would be okay and they would all be together again soon.

~

Jason loved ice shows. They were different in America than in Japan, but they were fun all the same. There was still the usual hanging out and having fun, just less of a ‘tour together’ vibe since usually the shows were spread out and people came and went at their own pace and traveled their own way. 

Because of that, he didn’t get caught gazing at the baby scan photo for two whole weeks of ice shows. “What’s that?” Alex asked, sitting down beside him on the shuttle from the hotel to the arena. “Oooh, a baby. Who’s having a baby?”

Maia plopped down beside Alex. “Did I hear someone is having a baby?” Jason smiled and showed her the scan. “Is it your sister? Congratulations, you’re an uncle!”

He bit his lip and smiled bashfully. “Actually, I’m a dad,” he confessed, and Maia gasped and Alex gaped at him. 

“Holy shit, shut up!”

“What’s up, any good gossip?” Evan asked, leaning over the back of the seat in front of them. 

“JASON’S GOING TO BE A DAD!” Alex cheered happily, and Jason flushed when half the bus turned and looked at them in shock and surprise and there was a big round of cheers. 

“Oh congratulations!” Someone cheered. “Wow, a baby!”

Jason nodded. “Yep. We’re into the second trimester so we’re letting people know. I honestly thought we would hide it but I guess eventually it will get out on social media and stuff.”

“Who’s we?” Alex asked. “I didn’t know you were seeing anybody.”

Jason grinned bashfully. “Shoma,” he said softly. “Shoma moved to Canada with me since he’s pregnant and obviously he’s not raising our child alone.”

“Ew, you knocked up Shoma?” Alex asked and Jason raised an eyebrow pointedly. “I just mean he’s… he’s Shoma,” he stressed.

“Yes, that is his name,” Jason said dryly. “Are you seriously talking crap about the person carrying my child?” he asked incredulously.

“No, I mean, he’s cute, but he’s like a baby himself,” Alex defended. “How did that even happen?”

Jason shrugged. “It just did? He said he had never really noticed how much I make him smile and asked if maybe I wanted to get a drink with him back during Four Continents last year. And here we are,” he said, hoping Shoma didn’t make up another lie to tell people that might contradict his story.”

Maia smiled. “I guess it’s not so hard to see. Shoma’s definitely your type. Cute and silly. And Japanese,” she said, and Jason blushed. “Are you going to raise the baby speaking Japanese, then?”

Jason chuckled. “Well, they’ll be Canadian so they need English but Shoma and I speak Japanese to each other so I’m sure they’ll speak both.”

“Shoma’s doing an ice show right now, isn’t he?” Maia asked. “Even though he’s pregnant?”

Jason shrugged. “The doctor said skating is fine. Just that if it was competition season she might want him to not compete because of the stress. But ice shows are fun and we can use the money since he’s going to have a take off next season.”

“Isn’t he like, rich?” Alex asked. “I mean, I’ve seen him wearing clothes that are super expensive designer stuff. We don’t make THAT much money.”

Jason bit his lip and lowered his voice. “Don’t tell anybody, but his parents are rich, and he’s got his own money so we’re fine, but they cut him off when they found out about the baby so he doesn’t have that to fall back on.”

Alex looked angry. “What?! Why?”

“Because he’s Gay and it’s Japan?” Jason asked. “Nobody wants their oldest son and the most famous person in the family to be gay and pregnant. He said in Japan, men get abortions almost always, and we wanted our baby, so he told them the truth and when they cut him off, we decided the best thing would be just bring him to Canada so we can go through the pregnancy together.”

“Awwww, you’re going to be a great dad,” Maia said. “And Shoma’s going to be the funniest looking pregnant person ever,” she added. “He’s so tiny, he’s going to get huge!”

Jason pictured it and beamed. “He’ll be beautiful,” he sighed, and then blushed when Alex started teasing him again.

~

“How’s the baby?” Jason asked Shoma, who was video calling him while he did his skincare routine before bed in Japan. 

“Fine, I guess. I haven’t had any issues, at least,” Shoma said. “The doctor lied about the morning sickness ending. It hasn’t. I’ve been throwing up all the time, which only makes the hunger worse.”

“Hunger?” Jason asked and Shoma groaned.

“You know me, I can always eat, but now I’m so hungry all the time! I’m gaining weight and it’s not baby weight,” he informed him. “I’m already up to 57 kilograms. I’m always hungry and they’re teasing me for how big my ass is getting.”

“Tell Keiji I’ll fight him,” Jason joked. “Although I think he would kick my ass,” he added. 

“They don’t know about the baby yet so no, I don’t think I will.” Shoma put down his face cream and sighed, looking over at the phone. “I want to tell my friends before Yuzuru does, but I don’t want to risk the organizers finding out. I’m scared they’ll kick me off the tour.”

Jason’s heart ached for him. “It’s okay. You can tell them at the end of the show. That way nobody can kick you off of anything.” He smiled brightly. “I however got caught with the picture of the baby. And Alex has a big mouth and shouted Jason’s gonna be a dad to the whole bus,” he said, rolling his eyes. “Only Maia and Alex really heard the Shoma part though I think.”

Shoma grinned. “I’m glad people are happy for us.”

Jason hummed, thinking about how happy _he_ was. He had gone into this wanting to help his friend, and yet now, after almost a month of ‘I’m going to be a father’, Jason was so happy. He was excited. He wanted this more than anything. He had not planned to have children so young and he almost didn’t make the choice to sacrifice his free time and his future of different possibilities, but now he was so happy he did. He didn’t think of it as Shoma’s baby, he thought of it as _their_ baby. He was going to have a child. He was going to raise their baby like his own child. For the rest of his life, he would be a _dad_.

“What are you thinking about?” Shoma asked. “You look so happy.”

Jason beamed, leaning his head against the pillow beside him. “Our baby,” he whispered, and Shoma beamed back at him. “Shoma, I want you to know, that I may have gone into this to try and be your friend and just help you out, but I love the baby,” he said softly. “It’s going to be my child. I’m going to be a dad for the rest of my life. We’re going to share a child for the rest of our lives, Shoma,” he said softly, eyes full of wonder. “You’re okay with this, right? This was what you wanted, isn’t it? Because if you change your mind now, I’ll be heartbroken to lose my baby.”

Shoma shook his head. “No, this is your baby now, Jason. I’m going to put your name on the birth certificate. We’re going to raise the baby together. We’re family now. I want this more than anything, because nobody else has ever been willing to give so much to me. You’re giving me a home and a parent to raise a child with. You’re probably my best friend, you know that, right?”

Jason beamed. “You’re mine, too. I mean we were always friends, but living together, we really get along and I miss you when you’re not there.”

“Me, too!” Shoma said, giggling happily. “I’m really, really happy.”

Jason sighed excitedly. “We’re going to be parents, Shoma!” He did a little dance of joy. “I can’t wait until you get home and we go to that doctor’s visit and I can see the baby myself!”

“Don’t worry, I wouldn’t go with anybody else this time,” Shoma promised. He packed up his toiletries bag. “Well, I need to go to bed now. Got to sleep for the baby.”

Jason pouted. “Okay. Goodnight, Shoma.” He blew a kiss at the screen. “Goodnight, Baby!”

Shoma made a show of ‘catching’ his kiss and put it on his belly with a grin. “Baby says goodnight, Daddy.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BIG SURPRISE this chapter!
> 
> A certain somebody will be super hyped!

Shoma was surprised to discover that, though the doctor said he might well be sixteen or eighteen weeks before he started showing, he woke up one morning at fourteen weeks and, though it wasn’t visible in clothes, he had a slight outward slope to his lower belly. He leaned back a little and poked it out, rubbing a hand over the solid lump. “Wow. You’re going to be a big baby, huh?” he asked, and then he really woke up and it hit him: He was _showing_.

Shoma didn’t even know what time it was wherever Jason was, but he ran for his phone, laughing gleefully as he pulled up a video message and ran back to the bathroom. When Jason answered, he was groggy and clearly in bed. “Sho?” he mumbled. “What’s wrong? Is the baby-“

“The baby is fine!” Shoma said excitedly. “Look!” He pulled his shirt up and turned around, pushing his boxers down a little lower to aim the phone so he could catch the reflection in the mirror. “I’m already showing!” he said, poking his belly out a little to make it more obvious. “Jason, our baby is showing!”

“What?!” Jason sat up sharply and Shoma laughed when he dropped the phone and cursed in English while trying to fish it out of the covers. “Let me see!” he cheered, holding the phone up to his face. Shoma lowered it so it was really level with the tiny bit of bump he was sporting, and Jason squealed. “Oh my God, our baby!”

“I know!” Shoma giggled gleefully, raising the phone back up to his face. “And so early! I guess maybe it’s because I have a very short torso? The baby has to go out as it grows?” He looked down at his belly. “I’m going to get so fat. I’m already gaining weight. Now I’m gaining baby belly!”

“You’re going to be so cute,” Jason said confidently. “I’ll want to hug you all the time.”

“You already hug me all the time,” Shoma countered, smiling warmly. “Admit it, you’re a cuddle whore and I’m small enough I can’t fight you off.”

“I would never hug you against your will!” Jason defended. “Although, when the baby gets bigger you might have to slap my hands away from your bump. I’ll want to feel of my baby allll the time!”

Shoma bit his lip. “I think I should do that thing, the one people do where they keep a timeline of photos of their baby belly. I can show Itsuki and you can show your family.”

Jason beamed. “That’s a great idea. Also, when we’re back, I think at least my mom and dad want to come meet you. They know the truth, that we’re not really dating, but they still want to meet you since they’re going to be grandparents so you guys may as well get to know each other.” 

Shoma felt a sudden pang of sadness and his throat tightened. “Oh,” he whispered, then sat down on the closed toilet lid, his eyes rapidly filling with tears.

Jason sat up straighter. “Shoma? What’s wrong?”

Shoma sniffled and his voice trembled when he spoke. “The baby will only have one set of grandparents. M-my parents haven’t spoken to me since I told them. I- I don’t have anybody but Itsuki to give the baby.”

Jason bit his lip. “Hey. An uncle is still amazing. And it’s their choice to not enjoy something so amazing as their own grandchild. They’re the ones missing out. The baby will have grandparents and an aunt and two uncles. They’re the ones who won’t have a grandchild.”

Shoma wiped at his eyes, biting his lip. “I miss my mom,” he whimpered. “And my dad.” He let out a soft sob. “I miss my parents, Jason. Why don’t they want me anymore?”

“Oh, Shoma,” Jason sighed. “I wish I knew, Sho. I wish I could fix it. I know you miss them. It’s okay to miss them. They should have accepted you and welcomed the baby. But I want you, okay?” Shoma looked at the screen again and Jason looked very serious. “I want you in my life. I want our baby. I want you to share my home and raise our child with me. I know I’m not as good as your mom and dad, but I promise, I will always want you and our baby. We’re your family, too.”

Shoma smiled a watery smile. “Yeah, we are. We’re a family. I have a family no matter what.”

“And you always will, I promise.”

Shoma sniffled and wiped his eyes. “Being pregnant makes me emotional, I guess. Sorry.”

“Oh please, I cry over everything,” Jason dismissed. “You’re pregnant, I’m just always like that.”

Shoma giggled and looked at the phone. “We’re gonna be just fine, aren’t we?”

“Absolutely.”

~

Shoma managed to last until the last week of the ice tour – and his sixteenth week of pregnancy, where his belly was definitely no longer flat – before he let anybody know. It only came out because he raised his shirt to wipe his face during practice and Keiji snorted. “Wow, Shoma, you need to lay off the candy. You’re getting a bit fat.”

Shoma put his shirt down and blushed. “No I’m not.”

“Oh please.” Keiji called Nathan over. “Hey, Nathan!” 

Shoma hissed. “Keiji!”

“Tell Shoma he’s getting fat,” he said, then grabbed Shoma and pulled his shirt up, making him yelp and elbow him.

“KEIJI!” he complained. He tugged his shirt back down, glaring. “Don’t be a dick.”

Nathan raised an eyebrow. “What are you two fighting about?”

“Shoma’s get fat and I wanted to show to get other opinion,” he said, and Shoma swatted his hand away as it went to his shirt again.

“I’m not fat, I’m pregnant, dumbass,” he said, then stilled and flushed bright red at his slip. 

Keiji gasped in shock. “What?!”

“What did he say?” Nathan asked, looking at Shoma. “What’s up?”

Shoma sighed, rolling his eyes. “Not fat. Baby,” he said, putting a hand on his belly. “Have baby inside.”

“What??? You’re _pregnant_?!” Nathan asked, and Shoma nodded.

“Yes, that word. Pregnant.” He smiled and shrugged, hand still on his tummy. “I go to Canada now. Live there. With Jason. He baby father,” he said and Nathan gaped.

“Jason _Brown_ is your baby’s father?! You’re dating Jason?! Wow, I never knew!” he said. “Uh, congratulations?”

Shoma giggled and nodded. “Yes. Good happy,” he said, lifting his shirt some to look down at his belly, poking it out. “Baby big. Only four month,” he said, holding up four fingers.

“That’s just crazy,” Nathan said, looking at his belly in shock. “You’re having a baby with Jason, wow.”

Keiji looked at him in shock. “Are you retiring?” he asked, startled.

Shoma shook his head, smiling. “Just taking off the season. The baby is due in October. I’ll be too pregnant for the Grand Prix series and the baby will still be just two months old by Nationals, and if I don’t skate there, I can’t go to Four Continents or Worlds. There’s no way I can recover from pregnancy and get in skating shape in two months. But, by the next season, the baby will be almost a year old, I can get back to competition then.” He rubbed his baby. “Not sure what we’ll do about babysitters when we’re both competing other than hope we don’t get the same assignments.”

Keiji shook his head. “You’re insane. You’re having a baby and just going to jump back into competition?”

Shoma nodded seriously. “I’m going to Beijing. Jason is going to Beijing. How cool would it be for our child to get to see both Tousan and Daddy win medals at the Olympics?” He smiled happily down at his belly. “We’re really excited. Oh _God_ , I’m shocked you didn’t already know. Yuzuru went mental,” he said, laughing. He looked at Nathan. “Yuzuru, he tell all people listen. Go crazy. Shout on ice at Cricket Club. Jason not tell, Yuzuru tell all, skater and coach.”

Nathan laughed. “Yeah I can see that. Yuzuru loves kids, huh? Good thing he’s in Canada. You always have a babysitter when he’s in the country.”

Shoma smiled and nodded. “Love baby. All people love baby.”

“So that means I can do this?” Keiji skated away. “HEY SATTON-CHAN! GUESS WHAT!”

Shoma sighed and rolled his eyes, skating out onto the ice to join Keiji as he told the whole tour that he was pregnant with Jason Brown’s baby. 

~

By the time Shoma got home, the whole skating world had heard the news, so he and Jason decided that, after they went to the doctor to get a check-up and hopefully find out what the baby was if they were very lucky, since the doctor said that by eighteen weeks that was possible, they would announce it to the world on Jason’s Instagram. They were excited, hoping to see what their baby was and have a ‘we’re having a girl’ or ‘we’re having a boy’ to announce to everybody. Yuzuru wanted to come, but Shoma told him he wanted only him and Jason to know at first. Yuzuru said that was fine as long as he got to see scans of the baby when they got them.

Dr. Talbot did her initial exam after Shoma’s blood was drawn and she hummed. “Well, it definitely seems we were lucky to make up for the small size on the first measurement. You’re going to have a big baby going by this measurement,” she said with a smile. “That’s always a good sign when you have a family history of premature babies.” She stepped back and noted something on his chart. “Well, while the ultrasound tech is in here, I’m just going to go see when we can get you in next time. My secretary is out so I’m pulling double duty today,” she said, then excused herself while the technician came in to do the ultrasound. 

Jason held Shoma’s hand, both of them smiling with crossed fingers. “I’m excited. I can’t believe I’m about to see our baby!”

The technician, a young guy with a kind smile, applied the gel to Shoma’s belly and started moving the wand around after seeing up the machine. “Alright. Let’s see if we can get a look at your little one. If you’re lucky, we might be able to spot the baby’s genitals.” Jason explained to Shoma and Shoma beamed and nodded. As he moved the machine around, he smiled. “And there we go. Your little one,” he said, positioning the wand. Jason’s breath caught in his throat as he looked at their baby. The tech left it there for a moment and then moved it. “Let’s see if we can get…” He stopped suddenly. He moved the wand some more, and Jason felt Shoma’s hand tighten in his. “That’s not right.”

Jason’s heart sank and he took in a short breath. Shoma looked at him, worry growing in his eyes. “Jason? Jason, what is it?”

“There must be… Hang on.” The technician went over to the computer and started typing with a furrowed brow.

Jason’s breath picked up. “Is something wrong? Is- is the baby okay?” 

Shoma tugged at his hand. “Jason, what’s wrong?” Shoma looked at the guy furiously typing on the computer, then looked at Jason with tears in his eyes. “What’s wrong with my baby? Jason?”

“I don’t know,” he said, clearing his throat. “Sir? Sir, what’s wrong with our baby?”

He stood up quickly. “I’m not sure. I don’t want to say anything…” He pushed his glasses up. “I’ll be right back with Dr. Talbot.”

As he walked out abruptly, Shoma looked at Jason with big, terrified eyes and then he just whimpered and started crying. “Jason what’s wrong with our baby?!” he pleaded. 

“I don’t know. I don’t know.” Jason pulled Shoma’s hand to his lips, fighting his own shaking by kissing his knuckles. “I- I’m sure it’s okay. It has to be,” he said, his own throat tightening. “Just- just hang on. We’ll see what’s going on.”

Shoma raised a hand to wipe at his face, and Jason could tell he was trying to be brave. But Jason was scared to death. Shoma had to be terrified. It was their baby and something was clearly not right. 

The doctor came back in in a hurry with the technician behind her. “Okay, guys, let me see what’s going on,” she said, taking the wand herself. 

“What’s wrong with our baby?” Jason asked fearfully. “Please, I-“ His voice broke and he looked at Shoma, who still had tears in his eyes. “What’s wrong?”

“I’m sorry for scaring you, but let me just-“ She stopped moving the wand and her breath caught. She moved it to the other side of Shoma’s belly and just stared. “Okay, guys. I know that was just scary now, but I think this will be really good news for you.” She smiled at them and stood up, letting the technician take over again. “Okay, here,” she said, pointing at the screen. “That’s your baby,” she said, and then tapped the technician’s shoulder and he moved it around lower, and she pointed at the baby again. “This is the _other_ baby,” she said with a big smile.

Jason gasped, then then smiled brightly. “What?! Other baby?”

She nodded. “Yes. Please explain,” she said, and he looked at Shoma, who looked utterly bewildered. 

“Shoma, we’re having twins!” he said excitedly, and Shoma’s eyes got _huge_.

“W-What?!”

Jason nodded. “Nothing is wrong with the baby and the baby isn’t super big, there’s twins in there! That’s why he was so confused, they thought there was just one baby!” He looked at the doctor. “How is this possible?!”

She chuckled. “I wish I could say reading ultrasounds is easy and straightforward, but it’s not impossible for one baby to be hiding behind the other. Twelve weeks isn’t crazy early in a pregnancy, but it is early enough to miss a hidden twin. Male pregnancy has crazy hormone levels anyways so there was no reason to suspect anything. I will have to rerun some tests, but right now I see two healthy babies of a good size for eighteen weeks.”

Jason explained to Shoma, and Shoma finally smiled, a bright, blinding smile. “Oh my God, Jason, twins!” He sat up and hugged Jason, who held him close, laughing into Shoma’s hair. “I was so scared something was wrong with my baby and now I’m having two babies!”

“Oh my God, this is the most amazing day of my life!” 

“Mine, too!” Shoma agreed.

Dr. Talbot chuckled and interrupted. “Alright, well, let’s do some more tests and measurements. You guys can celebrate later,” she said and Jason laid his head on Shoma’s shoulder and held his hand to his chest as Shoma laid back down to let her and the technician get back to work.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I could not write for a week and still post daily, that is how far ahead I am.
> 
> Enjoy!!!

As soon as they got out of the doctor’s office, Jason called his parents and they sat in the car, holding hands as they wanted for his dad to answer. “Hey, Jason! What’s the baby news? Good I hope?”

Jason squeaked excitedly. “Oh my God you can’t IMAGINE!” he cried, looking over at Shoma, who was _glowing_ , he looked so happy. “Dad, we had a bit of a surprise at the doctor’s visit. Can you get mom for me?”

“Sure!”

“Hi, Sweetie! What’s the baby news?” his mom asked excitedly.

Jason bit his lip and closed his eyes as he danced in his seat. “WE’RE HAVING TWINS!”

“OH MY GOD!” 

“TWINS?!”

“Yes!” he cried, barely able to contain his joy. “The doctor said his hormone levels were within the weird levels for men and she didn’t spot the second baby on the first ultrasound, but she said sometimes they hide behind the other baby, and we’re having twins!” He squeezed Shoma’s hand and Shoma laughed. “They didn’t manage to tell what the gender is yet, but they could tell us the twins are fraternal, not identical. No way to tell this visit if they’re two boys, two girls, or a boy and a girl.”

Even if Shoma couldn’t understand all he said, he obviously was enjoying Jason’s enthusiasm and when Jason’s parents joined in the loud shouting and cheering, Jason just watched Shoma laugh and shake his head, amazed at the news. Jason’s heart constricted and he felt butterflies over how beautiful Shoma looked when he was happy. 

~

Jason and Shoma waited until everybody was going to be there for a stroking session – and called and asked Brian and the juniors who weren’t part of the group – to come to the session for a big announcement. When they got there, everybody was waiting. “Hey guys, so we have big news!”

“We already know you knocked up Shoma Uno,” Brian joked and Jason rolled his eyes.

Shoma stepped up beside Jason and Jason hugged him around the middle, putting a hand on his belly as he leaned his cheek against Shoma’s head. “So I have a really fun idea for a cool dance video to tell the world out big news and I want everybody to film it with me!”

“Ooh, I love Jason’s dance videos!” Yuzuru said eagerly. “What news? You know if it boy or girl?!”

Jason bit his lip and beamed. “Well, my idea is to do a dance video singing new lyrics for “Call Me Maybe”.” 

Brian groaned. “Of course you did.”

“Well, the lyrics will be changed.” He rocked Shoma back and forth as he sang. “Hey we just found out, and this is crazy, but me and Shoma are having TWO BABIES!”

“WHAT?!” Yuzuru cried out, then ran to hug them both, long arms encircling them. “TWINS?!”

“YES!” Jason cheered, helping shield Shoma from being squished by Yuzuru’s enthusiasm. 

“Oh my God!” Tracy laughed, and all the others managed similar exclamations. They all came rushing to join the group hug, and Jason just held Shoma close, smiling down at him as they were encircled in a big, Cricket Family hug. 

“How did you just find out, though?” Tracy asked, beaming as she wormed her way to the middle to hug Jason close. “He’s nearly half-way!”

When they finally extracted themselves, Jason and Shoma hugged face to face, smiling at each other. “Well, the doctor said that it’s not unheard of for one baby to hide, and since male pregnancy has wacky hormone levels, she didn’t suspect anything then. And when the technician stopped and started typing on the computer and got this worried look we started obviously freaking out, cause this guy was making scary faces for someone who just looked at our baby and said ‘wait, that’s not right’, and we were both crying and terrified, but then the doctor came back and she checked and sure enough, two! There was a baby hiding!” He kissed Shoma’s cheek, surprising Shoma almost as much as himself, since he wasn’t the type to do kisses like that. “They can’t tell the sex of the babies yet, but they’re fraternal, not identical, and they’re healthy.” 

Shoma beamed, leaning back against Jason’s chest. “We very happy. Two baby so cool,” he said in very careful English. “We do video here?” he asked, and Jason smiled down at him, proud of his English. 

“Sure,” Brian said, rolling his eyes. “What better place to film the video for two figure skaters’ pregnancy announcement?”

“YAY!” Tracy said, clearly excited. “Oh, Sweetheart, I’m so happy for you! Children are such a gift, and I’m so happy you get to experience this!”

Jason beamed, nodding. “We’re so happy, guys. I just- I love them so much already. Me and Shoma, we love our babies so much!” he gushed.

Shoma giggled and rubbed his belly, nodding. “Love babies,” he agreed.

Shoma looked at Jason while the others rattled off ideas for the video, and Jason looked him in the eyes with what he hoped was a gaze that conveyed just how grateful he was that Shoma allowed him to take this journey with him. Much to his surprise, Shoma stepped up on his toes and pecked Jason’s lips. Jason stared wide eyed as Shoma blushed but just smiled. “Sorry. I’m just really happy to be doing this with you,” he whispered. “Besides, they think we’re having sex anyways.”

Jason beamed. “Hey, I totally get it. I’m so, so happy to be doing this with you, too.”

Neither of them saw Yuzuru watching them with a very confused expression after overhearing that exchange. 

~

When Jason posted his video, the internet went _wild_. Every skater they knew commented and liked his Instagram post, congratulating them on their twins. He and Shoma cuddled up on the couch, just replying to messages and answering calls. Itsuki was _crying_ when he called after seeing the post. Jason watched Shoma’s bright, glowing smile as he talked to Itsuki and he couldn’t help but think he was by far the most beautiful person Jason had ever seen. 

“Oh look, even Daisuke Takahashi, replied,” Jason said, cooing at the message. “‘Congratulations on being proud of who you are and sharing your family with the world. Never be ashamed of who you love and the joy that that love brings you, including twins. Best wishes, Daisuke.’ Oh that’s sweet.” 

Shoma nearly hyperventilated, reading that message over and over again like the little fanboy he was. 

~

A lot of fans expressed worry that this mean they were retiring, so after a day or two, they posted a new video on Jason’s YouTube so it could be more in-depth. 

“Hi guys! I’m here with my lovely partner, Shoma,” he said, and Shoma smiled, waving at the camera. “As a lot of you saw on Instagram, Shoma and I have big news!” Shoma held the side-by-side scan stills of their two babies. “That’s right, twins!” He slung an arm around Shoma. “Shoma and I have been dating for a while, keeping it low-key for our own privacy, but now that we’re having babies, we wanted to share it with the world!” He leaned his head against Shoma’s and Shoma repeated exactly what he said, but in Japanese. “To answer a few questions, Shoma decided to move to Canada with me. We’re very happy here,” he added warmly. “Shoma is learning English as fast as he can, but you have to remember, English is hard.” Shoma repeated that with a little giggle at the end. “We’re not sure what the babies are yet, but we can’t be happier about them.”

Shoma smiled at Jason, eyes full of warmth as he spoke for Jason to translate. “All we care is that our babies are healthy and happy and that we get to spend our days together as a family now.”

Jason translated and then hugged Shoma close. “Neither of us are retiring. I plan to do this season in full, although if it just so happens my Grand Prix assignments clash with my children’s birth, obviously I’ll say ‘whatever’ to the Final. I hope to go to the final, but if my babies are born the same week as one of the competitions, the final isn’t worth missing my children being born. I fully intend to participate in the rest of the season after that, Nationals, Four Continents, Worlds, if I’m lucky enough to be picked.” 

“You will be,” Shoma said, and Jason translated for him with a shy smile. Shoma looked at the camera. “I will take this season off, to finish my pregnancy and to spend the first months of our babies lives by their side. Jason won’t be gone long, but Nationals is out of the realm of possibility so no four continents and worlds for me. I’ll be here at home, cheering on my children’s ‘Daddy’.” He smiled at Jason, who translated again. “Next season after this, though, I’ll be right back, on the road to Beijing. Both Tousan and Daddy plan to be Olympians again.”

Jason couldn’t help but to press his smile to Shoma’s smile, both of them sharing a quick peck. “We’re very happy guys. I hope all our fans are happy for us.” He rubbed a hand over Shoma’s small belly bump. “Team Shoma/Jason/Babies is happy and healthy and we can’t wait for the future of our family. Thank you guys so much for your support. We will keep you all updated on our journey to being parents!”

Shoma beamed and leaned his head against Jason’s cheek. “Arigatou gozaimasu!”

~

Jason panted as he sipped his water during an intense jump training session. His quad sal was pretty solid in practice – even if last season competition hadn’t showed that – and now Brian was really working him on his quad toe to get the two basic quads super solid. “So, are you guys getting married?” Jason pulled away from his bottle and looked at Brian in confusion. Brian smiled. “Obviously, I understand not getting married. Raj is my partner in everything but we decided long ago to not get married. I just thought the way you are about family and stuff, you would want to be married to your children’s father.” 

Jason bit his lip. “We haven’t talked about it really. I mean, I would love to be married. I’ve always dreamed of a big wedding and everybody there. But the babies happened and we’ve been just focusing on that,” he said honestly. He had always dreamed of a huge wedding. “I don’t know if he even wants to get married, honestly.”

Brian smiled. “I’m sure if you asked him he would say yes. He loves you, Jason. You guys are having children together. That’s a big difference. It’s not a necessity, don’t think I’m saying that. But you guys seem like the type to want that.”

Jason smiled wistfully. “I would like the big, happy event. I just don’t know how he would feel knowing his parents wouldn’t come,” he said gently. Brian cringed.

“Ah. Say no more.” He shook his head. “I can’t imagine parents turning their back on you just because you’re having a baby out of wedlock.”

“Oh, they hate him for being gay,” Jason said sadly. “It’s okay though. He has his brother and we have all my family. Our children will always be loved.”

“That’s good,” Brian said confidently. “You guys are a good couple. You can tell is just watching you. You’re gonna be just fine.”

Jason smiled, looking down at his bare hands. “I really would like to be married, though,” he said softly. He shrugged. “Maybe one day. Anyways, back to jump training?”

“Oh you betcha,” Brian said, smiling. “You’re going to need several quads by Beijing, but once we get two for this season, you’ll stay in the running.”

Jason nodded. “Alright, I’m ready.”

~

Jason looked at Shoma as he sat on the couch playing video games with his belly rounding adorably and showing through a gap between his shirt and track pants and he bit his lip. “Shoma?” he asked, sliding over to pull Shoma’s legs into his lap. “I want to talk to you about something.”

“One second,” Shoma mumbled, and Jason waited patiently until Shoma was at a save point in his game. “Okay, what is it?” he asked, putting his console aside. 

Jason bit his lip nervously. “I- well. We’ve kissed a few times now,” he said softly, looking at Shoma as he blushed. “Is there… is something there?”

Shoma fidgeted, ducking his head. “Why does it matter? I mean. Yeah, we have kissed, but I- Um. It’s just-“

Jason forged forward. “Shoma, how about we try to make this a serious relationship? If you think you could never love me, then we don’t have to, I can accept that, but I think we could make this a _real_ family,” he said with a hopeful smile. “I am definitely attracted to you, I mean, you’re beyond gorgeous,” he said and Shoma smiled bashfully. “And I liked it when we’ve kissed. It feels… like home,” he added shyly. He looked Shoma in the eyes. “Were having children together, we’re partners, and I think I might be falling in love with you,” he added softly. Shoma looked surprised. “I’m not in love with you right now, but when you smile, I get butterflies. And when I hold you, I want to never let go. You’re my best friend and I- I would really like to never give you up.”

Jason shifted off of the couch to kneel beside Shoma, whose eyes widened. “Marry me? Maybe our relationship isn’t there yet, but even if it’s just because of the babies, we obviously love each other, right?” Jason caught his hand and kissed it. “I want to be married to the person having my twins. I think we can be good partners in more than just parenthood. I love you at least in one way, Shoma. I want to love you with everything in me. Maybe we can be happy together with our twins as a real family?”

Shoma bit his lip nervously, and then looked up at him. “Do you really think you could be a husband to me, Jason? I don’t want to just- just get married on a whim. I’ve always dreamed that one day I could get married and stay with that one person for the rest of my life. I don’t want to get married if you think you might change your mind later.”

Jason shook his head, looking at him seriously. “We are going to be parents together for the rest of our lives. I don’t want anybody else complicating that. I want to fall in love with you and stay in love with you until we’re old and gray. I want to hold your hand when our grandchildren are visiting us. I want to be a family like mine. I want that closeness and- and to be married for decades like my parents have been. I want our kids to see how we love each other and make that their goal for their future relationships.” He smiled a bit wetly as the true scope of what he was proposing hit him. “I want to be Team Jason/Shoma/Babies for the rest of our lives. Officially.”

Shoma gave him a big, happy smile. “Well, in that case, we should start looking at wedding venues, because I’m twenty weeks pregnant with twins, we don’t have tons of time to plan, do we?”

Jason’s breath hitched. “Is that a yes?”

Shoma giggled happily, nodding. “Yes, I want to marry you.” He held his arms open and Jason surged up onto his knees, hugging Shoma close.

“Thank you! I can’t wait to marry you,” Jason said, and Shoma beamed. Jason hesitated only a moment before cupping Shoma’s face in his hand and leaning in to brush their lips together. Shoma smiled against his lips. “Sorry, I just- I needed to kiss you,” Jason murmured.

Shoma grinned. “It’s fine.” He stroked a hand through Jason’s curls. “We can work on that part. We’re doing everything backwards anyways. No reason to rush the romance.”

Jason nodded. “I like little sweet smooches like we’ve done before. It’s very ‘loving parents’,” he joked. “We can work on the other stuff. I mean, it’s not like you don’t find me attractive, right?” he asked worriedly.

Shoma snorted. “Have you seen a mirror? You’re really hot.” He rolled his eyes and sighed. “Wow, I get to marry such a handsome man. I’m a lucky guy.”

Jason rolled his eyes, blushing. “Stop it,” he said, then pecked Shoma’s lips again. “Thank you. You’re pretty sexy, too,” he replied and Shoma smirked.

“It’s the cheekbones, right? I always said when I lost the baby fat it was over for everybody else,” he joked and Jason laughed and hugged him close.

“Oh my God, Shoma. You’re lucky I think you’re funny,” he teased, then climbed back onto the couch. Shoma wasted no time crawling to settle between Jason’s spread legs and lean back against his chest.

“Mmmm, comfy,” Shoma said, laying his head back against Jason’s shoulder as he pulled out his phone. “I’m gonna tell everybody the good news and start googling ‘how to get married in Canada’,” he said and Jason just kissed the top of his head and wrapped his arms around his _fiancé_ , placing both hands over their babies.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As I said on Twitter, this fic is finished. Not all is edited and I want to add a few scenes in before the end and maybe an epilogue, but it is over 30.000 words so you get a chapter per day now!
> 
> Thank you all!

Everybody at the Cricket Club were super excited when Jason announced the big news. His parents had cried when he explained the change in his and Shoma’s relationship. Everybody at the rink just offered ideas for cool weddings – such as getting married on the ice, guests and everybody – and more realistic ideas, like perhaps having a wedding on the grounds outside the club. 

“We’re still trying to decide how we’re going to do it, really,” Jason said thoughtfully. “I mean, I’ve always imagined a big, loud Jewish wedding like all the ones I went to as a kid, but I’m not sure that’s Shoma’s style. Also he kind of hinted he wants a more traditional Japanese wedding,” he added. 

Yuzuru cooed. “Awwww Shoma in montsuki would be so cute,” he sighed. “You can’t do san san kudo, though. Pregnant and saki do not mix,” he said.

Jason chuckled. “I’m pretty sure it wouldn’t be _that_ traditional.” He shrugged. “We’ll figure something out. I mean, I don’t need a super typical Jewish wedding. My family doesn’t exactly practice religion that much.”

“I didn’t even know you were Jewish,” Gabby commented. “But that’s cool. I assume we’re all invited to the wedding?” she asked brightly.

“Duh,” Jason said, beaming. “We can’t wait,” he said, sighing. “Also we can’t put it off because the doctor says that with twins, eight months is actually considered full term, very few people make it the whole nine months with twins. We have basically like a month to plan a whole wedding to be safe, since Shoma is super worried he’s going to have them early. The doctor said it’s really hit or miss with a family history of premature birth, but he is super anxious about it.”

“Oh yes,” Yuzuru said. “I read the book Itsuki publish. I do not know Shoma was born less than one kilogram! So tiny! I was early and not so tiny!” Yuzuru looked at Jason closely. “Although with you as father, maybe babies will be big,” he said, and Jason noticed the weird way he seemed to be scrutinizing him.

“Yeah, maybe.”

After a while, they all went back to training and Jason thought nothing of it.

~

Yuzuru waited until everybody else was gone to come over to him and Jason had a feeling he knew something nobody else did. “What’s up?” he asked, and Yuzuru leaned against the locker, looking down at Jason where he sat on the bench. “Yuzu?”

“Explain something to me,” he said slowly. “It’s been bothering me since I heard it when you announced the twins to us.” Jason thought back, trying to guess what he was talking about. “When you and Shoma kissed, why did I hear, ‘They think we’re having sex anyways’?” 

Jason’s blood drained from his face. “I can’t talk about that Yuzuru-“

“Are you faking it for the babies?” Yuzuru asked. “If you break his heart because you got him pregnant and feel obligated, I’ll seriously kick your ass,” he threatened, his eyes cold and his face like stone. “Why are you playing this charade if you’re not actually together? Why get _married_ if you’re pretending-“

“Yuzu, stop-“

“No, you stop, Jason,” Yuzuru said harshly. “He’s my friend and you do not get to fuck with him just because you got him pregnant-“

“I didn’t get him pregnant!” Jason blurted out, then groaned, hanging his head. “Fuck. Nobody was supposed to know.”

Yuzuru drew back, looking comically confused. “Wait, what?”

Jason lowered his hands. “We’ve never had sex. I mean, I assume eventually we will, because we’re getting married with the intention of being a true, loving couple. But we’re doing everything backwards.” He grimaced. “If you tell him I told you this, or let him know anybody else knows, I’ll be super pissed, and I feel like shit already just knowing I’m betraying him right now,” he said firmly. Yuzuru nodded, sitting on the bench beside him. “He was dating a guy,” Jason said quietly. “And that guy was faking out using condoms, like a piece of shit, and got him pregnant. Shoma loved the baby and was happy, even if he was pissed at his boyfriend. But his boyfriend abandoned him when he told him he was pregnant. He went to his parents for help, but they just cut him off and threw him out when they found out he’s gay and even worse that he’s pregnant.”

Yuzuru paled. “Shit.”

Jason nodded. “He was going to have an abortion,” he said and Yuzuru’s eyes widened. “He loved his baby so much but he thought he would only give it a terrible life and he would rather not have the baby than ruin a child’s life. When I found out, it was on accident, but I knew I would do anything for him, and if he aborted that baby, he would never get over it. It would break his heart.” He shrugged. “So I came up with the plan to bring him to Canada and raise the baby together. He decided he wanted to just tell everybody we were together and I’m the biological father, because the plan was always that I _am_ the father,” he stressed. “From the moment we agreed, I began to live as a dad. I love them with my whole heart. Those babies are my babies. They’re our children, not his children. I’m going to be his husband and their father and nobody will ever treat it any other way. My family and Itsuki are the only ones who know the whole situation.” He looked at Yuzuru. “And now you.”

Yuzuru seemed speechless. He didn’t say a word for a few minutes before he finally swallowed and looked at Jason closely. “That’s the situation you asked me about. When you asked about sacrificing something to help your friend. It was this.”

Jason nodded. “And it’s the best choice I ever made. Having a family, marrying him, it’s the best thing to ever happen to me. I do love him, Yuzuru. We’re figuring out the whole ‘romance’ part, but it’s going to work because we’re best friends and partners already. I get butterflies when he smiles,” he said softly. “We’re just going backwards, that’s all.”

Yuzuru smiled gently. “You’re a really good person and I’m so happy to know you,” he whispered. He leaned over and hugged Jason. “Don’t worry. I’ll never tell a soul. I will never even think about it. You’re their father. You’re Shoma’s partner. You guys are a family. That’s what matters.”

Jason relaxed with a sigh of relief. “Thank you, Yuzu. And hey, you’re a good friend, too, if you were willing to threaten me over him.”

Yuzuru laughed. “I don’t know how to beat someone up so it was bluffing anyways.” Jason laughed with him as they parted with smiles.

~

Shoma watched Jason fretting over trying to find a last-minute wedding venue with a fond smile. He and Jason had come to the rink during open hours because Shoma wanted to skate a while. Evgenia had joined them and they were just skating around and goofing off. Shoma wasn’t big yet, but with twins, he was definitely showing now and it would mess up his balance if he did anything other than just skating around and some simple spins. Jason, however, ended up sitting on the bench, poring over his 'wedding notebook’ while calling people left and right. 

“He’s taking this wedding thing so seriously,” Shoma said to Evgenia. She understood some Japanese, he had learned, so if he spoke slow, she could follow along and half-way respond. 

“He love you,” she said simply. “Want happy wedding for you.”

Shoma smiled softly. “I know,” he said, giggling and shaking his hair out of his eyes. “I would be happy just having the wedding in a park or someone’s garden. We aren’t inviting tons of people. His family is coming, and some cousins and aunts and uncles. My brother is coming. Keiji and a friend from school is coming. You guys here are all coming. Javi is coming, too,” he said fondly. “The coaches are all that is left. We think less than fifty people.”

Evgenia nodded along. “Maybe marry here? Lot of outside. Who live in house? Maybe have garden.”

Shoma shrugged. “All of us have apartments, don’t we?”

“Well what are you guys doing here on a day off?” Shoma and Evgenia turned and saw Tracy was skating around, holding hands with a little girl. She smiled. “This is my great-niece, Rebecca. Auntie Tracy works with these two,” she said, and the little girl giggled up at them, then fell on her butt. 

Shoma crouched down and smile, helping her up. “Here. Feet, not butt,” he said, and she giggled harder. He petted her hair back down, already feeling giddy at the thought that some day he would be doing this with his own children.

Evgenia cooed. “We’re talking about how crazy Jason is going trying to find a wedding venue. Shoma said he would be fine getting married in someone’s garden, but we all have apartments.”

Tracy smiled. “Awww, poor Jason.” She looked over at him, where he was sitting with a tablet and his phone and a notebook he kept scribbling on. Shoma smiled sadly at him. 

“He stress,” Shoma said slowly. “Want make perfect. Perfect just get married,” he said, and then blushed when she cooed at him too. 

“You know,” Tracy said, then bit her lip. “I have an idea. Let me check on some things before saying anything to Jason, though.” She smiled. “Well, you guys have fun. I’m teaching little missy here not to fall down,” she said, and they waved to her as she and the little girl skated away. 

Shoma sighed, clutching his hands to his chest. “I can’t wait to teach our children to skate!” he gushed.

Evgenia squeaked some. “They will be so cuuuute!” She dragged Shoma on, going on and on in English about how cute their kids would be and how much she couldn’t wait.

~

Jason was early for training because he was up all night stressing over the wedding. So far, he had taken care of the cake – Yuzuru’s mother was going to make it for them, since she apparently was a great baker – and the clothes. They decided to blend several cultures and go with traditional Japanese clothing for the wedding party and found a formalwear place in Toronto that had them to rent, thankfully. He was pretty sure he had handled the flowers because they decided on a simple chuppah and the only flowers were going to go on it and in the ladies hair. The wedding party was easy, Shoma had Itsuki as his best man, his friend Koki from school, and Keiji. Jason had his brother as his best man, his sister, and Evgenia as his wedding party. Jason’s dad got ordained so he could marry them, so they didn’t even have to get an officiant. 

But catering and the venue were _impossible_. He even decided to forgo a DJ and just set up a playlist on a stereo for entertainment to save time and money, because finding a venue or catering last minute was proving very difficult and was going to be very expensive. 

“What are you doing here so early?” Jason looked up to see Brian walking in with coffee. “You have half an hour before anybody else will be here.”

Jason smiled and took off his glasses to rub his eyes. “I haven’t slept really. Figured I would get here early so I could make some more phone calls.” He slumped back against the wall. “At least I’m getting practice at the sleepless night we’ll have when the twins are born,” he joked.

Brian sat down beside him. “Tracy told me you guys were having trouble finding a venue,” he said, and Jason sighed, looking up at the ceiling. 

“And catering. I cut corners everywhere I could to save time. We really want to get married before the babies are born and we don’t have time for this.” He snorted. “We should have just waited until they’re three or four,” he joked. 

Brian hummed. “I have an idea. I don’t know if you know, but I have a house on the lake.” Jason hummed tiredly. “It’s right at the water. The lawn and dock are probably big enough for a wedding if there aren’t tons of people coming. The house might be cramped for getting ready before the wedding, but you guys probably won’t have a big wedding party, and the kitchen is huge because Raj loves cooking, so any catering set-up will fit.” He looked at him with a raised eyebrow. “Totally free of charge. I just expect to be thanked in the speeches.”

Jason stared at him in shock. “Wh-what?”

Brian nodded, chuckling. “It’s summer and the weather is nice. Provide the booze and food, it’s like I’m having a nice party free of cost to me.”

Jason squealed and threw his arms around Brian. “Oh my God, that’s amazing! Wow, that’s just- I just-“ He teared up and Brian looked alarmed. “Thank you so much. I really can’t tell you how grateful I am.”

Brian chuckled. “Don’t get too worked up. It’s just a backyard wedding, not exactly a big deal.”

“To me that’s perfect,” Jason said seriously. “It’s a small wedding and we’re just grateful to have somewhere to have it. We were starting to worry we would have to postpone it.”

Brian grinned. “You kids deserve it. You’re cute together. Ah young love. Enjoy it,” he teased. “Especially when in just a few months you’re gonna be young parents instead.” 

Jason nodded, groaning playfully. “We’re already talking about hiring a nanny to help when I’m gone and to help when we both go back to skating.”

“You guys are still going to try to both skate? I really thought sooner or later you were going to tell me one of you was going to retire,” Brian said and Jason nodded firmly.

“It’s going to be so much harder with twins than it was already going to be with one, but we’re going to take it one season at a time. If we can’t make it to Beijing, we’ll have to choose which one of us is going to go on.” Jason scrunched his nose. “I hate to imagine that conversation. Knowing Shoma he will insist I keep skating, because he’s so down on himself about his skating, but he’s the one more likely to be in a better position in Beijing, since he’s younger.” He shrugged. “But for now we’re going to keep going.”

Brian shook his head with a fond look. “You are both true fighters. Tracy was right to talk me into taking you on. You want it more than most people I’ve ever worked with, you know. Just don’t tell Yuzuru that,” he joked.

Jason nodded. “I grew up,” he said simply. “I was still living like I’m a kid, but I’m not a kid. I needed to be shaken out of that situation. Now I’m really an adult, because I’m going to have kids soon. Being an adult means standing on my own and fighting for what I want. I want to be married and have children when I go to Beijing with my husband,” he said sincerely. “It’s what I want and I’ll fight for that.”

“I’m proud of you,” Brian said, patting him on the back before standing up. “The others will be here, soon. Get back to me with the dates and I’ll be sure to head out to the lake house and make sure everything’s cleaned up before we start set-up.” 

Jason made that note in his notebook and closed his eyes, sighing with relief. All that was left was catering. 

~

Shoma waited until Jason was gone to sit down and write out an email he had wanted to send for so long. 

_Dear Mom,_

Shoma closed his eyes and fought a wave of tears as he continued.

_Attached to this are the scans of my babies. I’m having twins. Next visit in a week we will probably find out the sex of the babies. We’re settled and happy here in Canada. I don’t ask Itsuki about you and you probably don’t ask him about me, but I really do hope you’re well. I’m due in late October, so we’re past half way now. Jason is so good to me and so excited about our children. He’s going to be an incredible father._

_We’re getting married. We can do that here in Canada. The wedding is in two weeks. I doubt you will even care, but just in case you care, I attached the invitation. I don’t expect to see you or Dad, but you are invited. Even if you hate me, I don’t hate you. I’m sorry you hate that I’m gay. I’m sorry you’re disappointed that I’m pregnant. I’m not ashamed of either of those things. I’m happy with Jason. I’m happy I’m having children. I love him and I love our kids. Thi s is the life I want and I only wish you could accept that I’m happy._

_I’ll send you pictures of the wedding._

_Your son, Shoma_

Shoma pushed his laptop away and laid down on the bed, crying as he held his belly. “It’s okay. It’s all okay. As long as I have you guys, it’s all okay,” he repeated to himself, eyes crushed shut as he focused on his love for his kids, not how much he missed his own parents. 

~

It ended up being Shoma who found them a caterer. His pregnancy cravings often involved a desire for steak from this one restaurant that cooked a steak with shrimp on top of it. He went there for lunch and was usually the only person who ordered a whole steak entrée for lunch when that was usually a rare treat for dinner. But he was pregnant and didn’t care how much it cost. He still ate the salad that came with it – as much as he hated it – because the doctor constantly got on him for not eating vegetables. 

He was just settling down to order when the owner walked past and smiled at him. “You’re getting to be once a week,” she teased in greeting. Shoma smiled and laughed. He was grateful his English was getting a lot better as he was forced to speak it everywhere.

“Babies like food here,” he joked back, rubbing at his belly absently.

“Oh, babies?” she asked interestedly. “Obviously you can tell you’re pregnant, but I didn’t know it was twins, I figured you were just very pregnant.”

Shoma shook his head. “Twin babies.” He smiled down at his belly. “I come here live with father,” he explained. “Why bad English,” he added, scrunching his nose. 

“Oh wow. So you guys weren’t even living together yet? That must have been a happy surprise then,” she said. 

He nodded. “I come to live, now we get married.” He rolled his eyes. “One week we get married, still no food. Very hungry wedding, I guess,” he joked.

She frowned in sympathy. “Oh no. What happened?”

“Short time tell, no one want cater,” he said, shrugging. “Maybe we do cook by self. It not be good, but feed guest.”

She hummed. “Tell me the date and let me go check something,” she said, and he frowned curiously but told her all the same. “I’ll be right back.”

When she returned, she had him the number of her sister’s catering company, and he couldn’t thank her enough for saving the day. 

Shoma couldn’t wait for his wedding now that all the stress of planning was over. They could just wait for the day and enjoy it. Even better, they hoped to announce at the wedding what the sex of the babies was if they were lucky enough to find it out before then. He had a doctor’s appointment three days before the wedding, and they couldn’t wait to see what their kids were going to be.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy an EARLY update! I just woke up and decided 'Yay Saturday!'

The big day started for Jason by getting everything set up the night before with the help of Brian, Javi, and Brian’s partner, Raj. They spent a whole day dealing with the chairs and tables they rented, fighting with the chuppah, and trying to get all the stuff cleared from the kitchen counters so that in the morning the caterer could set up in there, and checking that all the clothes for the wedding and the more casual stuff for the reception had arrived. Shoma was in charge of making sure all the guests were in Toronto and accounted for, so they ended up spending the night before their wedding apart, Jason crashing at the lake house, and Shoma still in the city chasing down guests. 

“We didn’t even plan to spend the night separate,” Jason joked as he, Javi, Brian, and Raj sat around having a few beers after a long, hard day of work. 

“We should have planned a bachelor party,” Javi bemoaned playfully. “At least, Brian, Raj, share some secrets to a successful relationship with our groom!”

Brian snorted. “Hell if I know. We were a lot older and didn’t have any plans for kids or marriage,” he said, looking over at Raj, who just nodded.

“We’re a couple of old men who met in middle age. I couldn’t tell you how to make a relationship so young and with impending fatherhood work if I had to,” he said, then shrugged. “I guess just the general stuff. Don’t yell when you fight. Stay faithful. Know when to back down from an argument and admit you’re wrong.”

“Oh you don’t do that now,” Brian scoffed and Raj just rolled his eyes.

“Yes I do, you’re just wrong more often than me,” he countered and Jason and Javi both laughed. 

Javi reached over the arm of the chair and patted Jason on the shoulder. “As someone who has had several long-term relationship young and none of them lasted, the best advice is to keep doing what you’re doing now,” he said. “Don’t try long distance. It works for a while, but eventually you just fall out of love. Him moving in with you and you guys having kids to focus on, that’s going to help a lot of the things that went wrong for me. Also, just general advice, don’t hurt him or Yuzuru might kill you,” he joked.

Jason laughed. “Yeah, he kind of threatened to kick my ass if I ever break his heart,” he said. He smiled fondly, looking down at his beer bottle. “I’m not worried about that. I mean, when Shoma told me he was pregnant, he was worried I would freak out. He already was so happy, and he was scared if I didn’t want this, he wouldn’t be able to keep the baby, since he isn’t the best at living alone nonetheless looking after a baby.” He smiled, looking up at the men around him. “But I was just like, ‘okay, let’s move you to Canada so we can do this together’, and I can’t put into words how much I love our children already. We’re young, but we’re so happy. It’s the best surprise of my life.” He shook his shoulders beaming. “I can’t wait to be married and for our children to come.”

Javi smiled fondly. “You’ll be able to give me tips about dealing with a pregnant partner and parenting kids when the time comes, then.” He reached out and squeezed Jason’s shoulder. “I’m really happy for you guys.”

“Yeah, Jason, you’re going to be an incredible dad,” Brian agreed. “And if you’re really gonna fight to keep skating, I’m getting ready for a hell of a ride these next few years, Kid.”

Javi looked surprised. “You’re still aiming for the Olympics?”

Jason nodded. “Shoma, too. We may not both make it, we had to accept that, but honestly what’s better motivation than imagining your kids watching you skate at the Olympics? They may not be old enough remember it, but we’ll remember them being there.” He took another sip from his beer. “I hope with every part of me that I get to skate for my kids. That’s the dream. That’s the goal. Make my children proud of me.”

“Sounds good to me,” Raj said, and they all laughed and raised their beers.

“To Jason and Shoma,” Brian said, and Javi grinned.

“And their little skater babies in waiting,” he added, and they all smiled and drank, finishing off their beers before getting a good night’s sleep. Tomorrow was the big day and Jason wanted everything to be perfect. 

~

Jason didn’t get to see Shoma until he and his mother got to the end of the aisle. His breath caught in his throat and, as he looked at Shoma’s beautiful, glowing face as he smiled at him, he realized he was already so in love with that man that he wanted to cry. He didn’t have to work at any romantic feelings. They were already there. “Don’t cry or I’ll cry,” his mother warned him, and then took his hand, leading him down the aisle. She had been the one chosen to ‘give him away’ by default, being the only one not in the wedding party or officiating, and he was so happy to have his mom at his side in this moment. His whole family was there for the biggest moment of his life, the moment that would forever bind him to Shoma and their kids as an official family. 

When he got to the end of the aisle, he kissed his mom’s cheek and then stepped under the chuppah to face Shoma, who took Jason’s hand with a blinding smile and tears in his eyes. Behind him, Jason smiled at Itsuki, Koki, and Keiji. He glanced over his shoulder and smiled at Dylan, Jordan, and Evgenia. Jordan and Evgenia looked so beautiful with the flowers in their hair and the bright colors of their bright silk kimonos that stood out more than the men’s more subdued kimonos. 

“We’re here today to celebrate the joining of a new member to our family,” his father began, and Jason beamed as he looked into Shoma’s eyes. “And to celebrate the joy of love between two incredible members of our hearts. Jason and Shoma invited us all here to celebrate their happiness and their new family getting started. When Jason told me that he was going to be a dad, it was the happiest moment of my life since the birth of my own three children,” he said, already getting a little choked up. “Meeting Shoma and discovering that the person he was sharing his life and building a family with was such an incredible young man, I knew that we would be here someday, celebrating this occasion.” He smiled at the two of them. “Shoma and Jason have put together vows to be spoken in Japanese, but for those of us who don’t speak it, we will understand the love that they are sharing as they speak.”

Jason cleared his throat. “Shoma, you are my best friend, my partner, and I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with you. The gift you are giving me with our twins is the most incredible gift I could ever receive. I hope that our life with our children is one full of joy, but even when our days are filled with sorrow, I will feel strong because I know we can carry each other’s pain and sorrow and share the burden between us. You will be an amazing Tousan, and I cannot wait to build a life together and raise children in that life. I love you,” he said, and he could see Shoma’s eyes widen slightly as he realized that Jason _meant_ it. “I will love you for the rest of my days. Please accept this ring as my bond to you, Uno Shoma, that will never be broken until death parts us.” Jason turned to Dylan, who handed him Shoma’s ring. Shoma was crying silent tears of joy when Jason slid the ring onto his finger and brought his hand to up to kiss. 

“I don’t even know what he said but that was beautiful,” his father choked out. “Shoma?”

Shoma sniffled and laughed weakly but his voice never wavered. “You saved me, Jason. When I needed hope, you gave it to me. When I needed help, you gave it to me. You are my other half in this life and you gave me the gift of my children. Nothing will ever mean more to me than the l-love you have for me,” he said, and Jason knew he was fighting back a sob and had to look so ugly. “I want to share this life with you. I want to love you until the breath leaves my body. I want to raise children with you and- and celebrate every win and suffer every loss with you at my side. When I had nobody, I always had you. I want to be there for you the way you’ve always been there for me.” Shoma smiled adorably. “I was fourteen years old when I met you, and I knew then you were special. I had no way to know that seven years later, I would be getting ready to welcome our children into this world and marrying you. You’ve been part of my whole adult life, and I want you to be part of the rest of it, too. Please accept this ring as my promise to you, Jason Brown, that I am your other half and will never make you feel alone.” He turned to Itsuki, who was sniveling as he handed him the ring. As he slid it onto Jason’s hand, he fought back a laugh that was almost a sob and leaned down to kiss his hand just as Jason had kissed his. 

Jason’s father let out a broken sob. “That was so beautiful,” he said once again. He pulled out his notes. “Though Shoma is not a member of our faith, the couple decided they would like for me to read a version of the traditional Seven Blessings from Jason’s Jewish faith, and I now invite my beautiful wife to bring the tallit and wrap it around our grooms.” Jason and Shoma shared a smile as Marla wrapped the prayer cloth around their shoulders and they face his father. Steven cleared his throat. “May you be generous and giving with each other. May your sense of humor and playful spirit always continue to enliven your relationship. May you always respect the diversity of humankind. May you act with compassion to those less fortunate and with responsibility to the communities of which you are a part. May you appreciate and complement each other’s differences. May you always share yourselves openly with your friends and family. May your home be a haven of blessing and peace.” He smiled through tears as he looked at Shoma, and then at Jason. “And now, with the power permitted to me as an ordained minister, I pronounce you, Shoma and Jason, married for life. You may now share your first married kiss.”

Jason and Shoma looked at each other with bright smiles and jumped into each other’s arms, lips meeting in a deep, powerful kiss, unlike any kiss they had shared before. When a big cheer went up with a lot of cat-calls, Shoma blushed and tugged the tallit over their heads so they could hide their blushes from everyone, forehead to forehead, as they smiled and gazed into each other’s eyes. “I’m your husband,” Shoma whispered, and Jason laughed wetly.

“I’m your husband, too.” They kissed once more, a smaller, more intimate kiss, and then parted with giddy laughter before tugging the tallit down and turning to face their guests. 

~

The reception was held after the wedding party changed into more casual clothes and it was a lively party full of wine, Jason’s taste in cheesy pop music, and hearty congratulations from everybody they knew. More than once, Shoma got to let his new family members touch his belly. Jason’s sister was beside herself when she felt the baby bump and it really hit her that she was going to be an aunt. Kori being able to attend had been a big deal for Jason, because even if he moved on to a new coach, she raised him. She was like a second mother to him. They still loved each other so much that he was so happy she was able to share this day with him. 

Dylan’s speech was a real crowd-pleaser, full of jokes about Jason’s childhood, but Itsuki took a more sincere route. Jason was impressed by his English, which he chose to speak in for the speech. “I’m proud to be here tonight, celebrating Shoma and Jason’s marriage.” He looked at Shoma as he spoke, and though Jason knew Shoma missed a lot of it, he could only hope the sentiment surpassed language. “My big brother is the most important person in my life. Since I was born, he was always there for me. Our parents even said that tiny, four year old Shoma wanted to be the one to feed me and bathe me and always be hands-on with his newborn baby brother. And growing up, he was my best friend and my favorite playmate. He raised me to be the person I am by always being at my side.” Itsuki looked out at the crowd, biting his lip and clearing his throat. “Our-our parents aren’t here tonight, so as the only Uno family member here, I have to say that Jason is amazing. Jason is- Jason is everything I could have hoped for my brother to find. He’s the kind of guy who does anything and everything for those he cares about, and he’s the best person for my brother to share his life with. I may not be here in Toronto when my brother’s children are born, but you can bet that I will trust Jason to be the father they need and to always be the husband my brother deserves.” He nodded with a smile and raised his soda. “To Jason and Shoma.”

Jason mouthed ‘thank you’ to him, and Itsuki just shrugged and sat back down. Jason nudged Shoma, and they both stood up, standing side by side as Jason wrapped an arm around Shoma. “We want to thank you all for the lovely speeches and for just being here with us. I have to thank Brian and Raj for sharing their house with us so we could have this wedding. I have to thank my parents for coming here and my dad for becoming ordained for us. My sister and brother for joining in the celebration. Evgenia for being a true friend. Itsuki for being the best brother-in-law I could hope for.” He looked at Shoma, who nodded and then said a similar speech in Japanese, speaking for his friends and his family for joining them. Shoma added that they had a special announcement, and then beamed up at Jason. “As Shoma just said, we have a special announcement.” He and Shoma shared a bright smile. “As many of you know, we’re expecting twins,” he said, putting a hand on Shoma’s belly, which was much more visible out of the kimono. “Just a few days ago, we learned the big news we wanted to share at our wedding so everybody could find out at once!” He paused for effect. “We’re having a boy and a girl!” he said, and almost instantly there were cheers and screams and people crying, all of it from joy. 

Shoma laughed adorably and stood on his toes to kiss Jason, who just leaned into it, hand still on Shoma’s belly. He sank into the sweet, loving, tender kiss while touching the proof of their children, and a chill ran down his spine because this was the most perfect moment of his entire life so far. 

~

After saying goodbye to all their guests, the wedding party were all staying the night at the lake house. Jason’s family was all hunkering down in the living room, Raj and Brian left the keys to Jason and Shoma, Itsuki was staying in the guest room with Koki and Evgenia, and Jason and Shoma were sleeping in the master bedroom upstairs. When they finished showering and changing, they got to the foot of the bed and saw the pile of condoms and the bottle of lube left no doubt by Javi and then shared a look. “Um,” Shoma started, blushing. “I mean… should we?”

Jason cleared his throat. “Well. We’re married? It’s kind of expected?”

Shoma giggled and then rolled his eyes. “We’re _married_ ,” he stressed, then stepped up to Jason and put his hands on his chest. “I’m pregnant, we’re married, and it’s our wedding night. I know you love me, and you know I love you.” He rolled up onto his toes to peck Jason’s lips. “Why not? What’s more perfect than our first time being on our wedding night? Eventually we would have sex. Why not celebrate our marriage in private?”

Jason grinned and leaned their foreheads together. “You make a good point,” he said, then scooped Shoma up, making him squeak, and carried him to lay him on the bed. They kissed as they shuffled up the bed to the pillows, and Shoma moaned as Jason licked into his mouth. “You okay with this?”

Shoma nodded, moaning. “I’m already pregnant. We really can’t risk getting you, too,” he teased.

Jason snorted and then reached back down the bed for lube and a condom. Shoma plucked the condom out of his hand and Jason raised an eyebrow. Shoma snorted. “I’m pregnant. I can’t get _more_ pregnant. Maybe in the future, yeah, condoms, but my first time with my _husband_? No way.”

Jason laughed and nodded. “Okay, sure.” He pushed Shoma down and kissed him deeply. Shoma’s belly sticking out made it a little awkward to hover over him and kiss, but it wasn’t _that_ big yet. They could still make this work without it being awkward. They slowly undressed each other, and when Shoma’s belly was bared, Jason took a moment to stop and just press loving kisses to the curve of it. He looked up at Shoma, and though he was clearly interested in sex, the look in his eyes was soft and loving. 

“I’m in love with you,” Shoma said softly. “How wasn’t I always in love with you?”

Jason beamed and kissed down his hip and then his thigh as he pulled Shoma’s pants off. “We never thought about it before. But now? I can’t imagine not loving you.” He kissed Shoma’s thighs, sucking bruises that made Shoma’s erection strong and solid as he whimpered and moaned. It was clear Shoma enjoyed attention to his thighs. Jason loved that he was learning what made Shoma moan during sex. He crawled up his body again, stopping to give a teasing lick to his erection, and then kissed up to his nipples. Shoma arched and moaned as Jason licked and sucked at them. 

“I really hope nobody downstairs can hear this,” Shoma panted, gasping as Jason nipped teasingly at one nipple.

Jason shushed him, kissing up his throat. “It’s fine. They’re all the way downstairs, also the sound of the water lapping and the fans will lull them to sleep fast.” He kissed Shoma, who moaned softly and luxuriated in the kiss. “Mmm. Shoma.”

“I love you,” Shoma whispered, looking into his eyes. “Jason, we’re in love. We’re married, we’re in love, and we’re having children. I’m so happy,” he breathed.

Jason smiled, knowing his eyes were glistening. “This is the best day of my life so far, Shoma. Everything is perfect.”

Shoma grinned impishly. “It’ll be more perfect if you get inside of me. Pregnancy makes me extra horny,” he pointed out, and Jason hummed curiously.

“Oh yeah? Nice,” he said, reaching down to touch him just where he wanted to be touched. “Lube?” he asked, and Shoma moaned.

“Lube,” he agreed readily. 

Neither of them were strangers to sex in the slightest, and yet somehow, as Jason slid into Shoma for the first time, they gazed into each other’s eyes in wonder. It was like coming home. It was like comfort. It was like an old friend. It was like love. Their passion was happy and they shared smiles and laughs and little jokes as their bodies worked together, seeking pleasure. Jason and Shoma shared so many pleasurable touches and kisses and when Shoma arched beneath Jason and came as he stroked him, Jason followed moments later, still swallowing Shoma’s moans as he filled him with his release. When they finished and lay side by side, they could only gaze into each other’s eyes, loving the moment as they shared their first afterglow together. 

“Our son and daughter are between us,” Jason whispered, and Shoma giggled, blushing.

“The doctor told me they can feel it when I orgasm,” Shoma said and Jason scrunched his nose up.

“Ew, pregnancy is weird.”

Shoma laughed and held him closer. “Eh, sex is natural. That just means they unconsciously got to experience how much their dad makes Tousan happy,” he added, pecking Jason’s lips. “Because wow. That was just… _wow_ ,” he added, giggling. He laid his head on Jason’s chest, wiggling until Jason lay on his back so he could cuddle him. “Ten out of ten. You’re a way more attentive lover than anybody I’ve ever been with. I’m really glad I married you,” he joked, and Jason hugged him, kissing his hair. 

“Good. Cause I love you and this was great.” Jason smiled and held him close. “Shoma, we’re _married_ ,” he said sweetly.

“Mmmm. Yep. And it’s forever,” Shoma mumbled sleepily, pressing his belly into Jason’s ribs. “If you wanna leave me, too bad, I’m not signing anything. No divorce. Never.”

“Good. Cause I agree.” Jason pressed their noses together as he held him. “Goodnight, Sho.”

“Goodnight, Jason.” He tipped his chin up and brushed his lips to Jason’s jaw. “Unless you want to go again,” he purred.

Jason blushed. “Shoma!”

“What?!” Shoma defended, giggling. “Pregnancy makes me _really_ horny!”

Jason laughed and tackled him with kisses, tickling him as they rolled around.

If they ended up fucking again, nobody would know besides the sheets they had to furtively put in the wash before anybody woke up the next morning.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter before bed!

The video from Shoma and Jason’s wedding went _viral_. Normally Shoma would be mad that Jason’s former coach shot that video, sharing their vows with the world, but honestly, he was too blissfully happy as a married man with twins on the way to care. Even when they got settled as a married couple, Jason came home from training ready to jump Shoma, and Shoma was blissfully happy about that. He wasn’t lying when he said that pregnancy made him pretty much always ready to go. Their newfound desire for each other and Shoma’s horny nature because of pregnancy only made it more difficult to feel what he finally felt one morning when they were sharing a snuggle in bed.

The babies were moving.

Shoma had been feeling little flutters for a while, but since pregnancy made him very gassy, he wasn’t paying attention until suddenly he remembered what the doctor said. He sat up suddenly, jarring Jason’s had away from his belly and he put his hands on the swell of his tummy. “Oh my God.”

“What?!” Jason asked, sitting up, looking at him worriedly. “The babies-“

“I can feel them moving!” he said excitedly. He tried to see if he could feel them on the outside, but he couldn’t yet. “The doctor said for the first pregnancy, you don’t always know what you’re feeling. Well, I think that’s definitely them moving.” He beamed. “Jason, our babies are moving!”

Jason’s eyes widened and he laughed. “You can feel them? Oh, Shoma!” He hugged him tightly. “Our little boy and little girl, both moving for you!” He laid his cheek against Shoma’s belly. “Hey, babies. It’s Daddy. I love you both so much.” He pressed a kiss to Shoma’s skin. “You’re growing in there, and your Tousan is getting the brunt of the drama, but it will all be worth it so don’t stress out. We can’t wait to meet you.”

Shoma chuckled. “Well, we can wait three more months,” he said pointedly. “So they’re fully grown and healthy.”

Jason rubbed the swell of Shoma’s belly and kissed it. “Yeah. Definitely wait until you’re both healthy and ready to meet us.” He rested his cheek on the swell of his belly. “I can be patient so you guys can too, right? Be patient for Daddy.”

Shoma smiled warmly. “They will definitely be patient, I’m sure.” He gestured for Jason to come up and kissed him sweetly. “You have quad training this morning, Jason.”

Jason whined. “But why? Brian decided that since my flip is my favorite jump, that’s my new quad to try. I’m just falling on my ass for an hour!”

Shoma beamed. “How perfect would it be, though? Quad flip is my thing. If you manage it, how cool would that be? Family jump!”

Jason looked at him and then whined. “God, when you say that it makes me want to do it. Blah. Fine.” Jason dragged himself out of bed with a whine. “The things I do for my family. Going to fall on my butt over and over. Its fine. Whatever,” he said, pouting the whole way to the bathroom.

Shoma beamed and just rolled over, rubbing his belly as he tried to nap a bit longer, resting up for his babies. 

~

Jason picked himself up off the ice, groaning. “God. The things I do for my husband.”

“What are you complaining about now?” Brian asked, and Jason rubbed the ice off his pants with a sigh.

“Shoma called this our ‘family jump’ so I promised to learn it for him, and I have not landed a single jump in weeks of this quad flip drilling.”

Yuzuru huffed as he skidded to a stop beside him, hands on his hips. “And it’s still better than me!” he whined, stomping his foot. “Brian, what wrong with my jump?”

“You’ve always had a terrible flip, Jason has a perfect flip,” Brian said simply. "Jason may not be landing them, but he’s actually doing a quad flip. You’re doing a whole lot of quad flutzes,” he said bluntly and Yuzuru pouted dramatically. “If he manages to get his balance right for landing before you fix that edge, he’s going to have the ability beat you next season,” he threatened and Yuzuru looked startled.

“Why you say this?!”

Jason snorted. “To shock you into fixing your edge, probably. Just imagine it! A middle of the pack skater beating you! Shoma would be very torn if I beat you,” he teased. “He’s a big ol’ fanboy for you, but he’s my husband. He would be very happy and very upset.”

Brian smiled. “Yuzu, I’m being harsh because I don’t want you doing this jump. You have every other jump. Nobody else attempts the loop. There was maybe two actual quad lutzes all season that were properly executed. Your ankle is better now, so you can go back to that jump. You’re doing that damn axel when I’m not around, I know you are, Ghislain is a terrible liar,” he said and Jason laughed at Yuzuru’s startled blush. “You do not need a fucking _ugly_ flutz to compete with Nathan. You’ll just be another Shoma Uno-“ Brian winced and looked at Jason. “No offence but his flip edge is very flat and it’s very pre-rotated, it’s just true, I’m not trashing your husband.”

Jason smiled guiltily. “I totally agree, I never would say it to him, but his flip isn’t the best.”

“Yeah, and Yuzuru’s is _worse_ ,” Brian said, looking at him. “What do I drill into all of you?” he asked pointedly.

Yuzuru sighed. “Clean and quality is most important.”

“Exactly. Jason’s take off is perfect right now. His landing is under or too far forward. I can fix that. Fixing your flip edge is a lot harder after a lifetime of doing that ugly flip,” he said simply. He gestured to Jason. “His triple flip would outscore your quad flip right now when they gave you an edge call and negative GOE,” Brian said and Yuzuru scoffed.

“No it not, base value-“

“He’s exaggerating, Yuzu, calm down,” Jason teased. “Besides, you don’t have to worry about me this coming season. Even if I get this in training, I’ll inevitably flop in competition. I’ve had a quad toe for years and still have never landed one cleanly in a competition. And a whole season’s progress on the sal was ‘I didn’t pop it’,” he said, sighing. “But it’s okay. My goal is years ahead, not this season.”

Brian nodded. “See? He’s got good focus. You need to look at your goals, Yuzuru. Not ‘Nathan Chen is actually hard to beat’.” 

The impending argument was interrupted by the door opening and an impressively round Shoma walking in. “Shoma? Is everything okay?” Jason asked, skating over to the side of the rink.

Shoma beamed and nodded. “I know I shouldn’t interrupt you during training, but I think the babies are moving where you can feel them and I was nearby so I had to come straight here!”

Jason squealed and rushed over to him. “Lemme feel!” he said, and Shoma caught his hand and guided it to the right side of his belly. 

“Just wait a minute,” Shoma said, pressing Jason’s hand down a little.

Sure enough, after just a few moments, Jason felt something like a shift under Shoma’s skin. It wasn’t like a kick like he had felt with people before, but like a sliding movement against his palm. “Oh my God! That’s our little girl, right?”

Shoma nodded. “I think so. They’re always on the same side when the doctor checks at least.” He beamed. “She’s spinning around. And her brother did it, too. They’re being very active since I keep taking the stairs and walking instead of taking the bus,” he gushed. “The doctor said they would, and they are!”

Jason bit his lip, fighting tears as he put his hands on either side of Shoma’s belly and felt a little movement on the left but less than on the right. “Hi, babies. Daddy can feel you, now,” he whispered, then smiled and looked at Shoma’s beautiful face. “I love you,” he murmured and Shoma giggled happily. 

“I love you, too.” Shoma tipped his chin up. “Come down here, I can’t reach you in skates,” he said, and Jason laughed and leaned down to kiss him, smiling against his lips. 

When the kiss broke, Jason grinned. “Wanna see me fall on a quad flip?” he asked and Shoma threw his head back and laughed.

“Sure, impress me with your flailing,” he welcomed.

Jason held up a finger to Brian. “Just a minute, then he’ll go, promise!” he said and Brian just smiled.

“I guess that’s the first time you felt the kids move?” he asked, and Jason beamed, dancing his way back out onto the ice.

“Yes!” He skated a loop, gaining speed. When he did his turn and took off, he knew no matter how hard he tucked his arms in, it was timed wrong and he would under-rotate again, so when he landed only half-backwards, he laughed and used his fall to spin and roll dramatically, flopping to a stop on his back. He threw a hand up and yelled, “Tada!”

He heard Shoma laughing and sat up, smiling over at him. Shoma was so beautiful when he laughed, nose scrunched and teeth fully showing. Jason got up and skated back over. Shoma shook his head. “Graceful,” he said flatly and Jason snickered.

“Hey, I’m getting there, though.” He wrapped his arms around him, leaning down to peck his lips and then hug him tight. “By the time we’re competing against each other again, I’ll be ready to kick your butt.”

“Wow, threatening to beat your husband, that’s classy,” Shoma deadpanned and Jason cracked up. “Alright. I’m buying groceries before I go home. Can I have the car?” he asked.

Jason whined and pouted but went over to where his bag was rinkside. “Fiiiine,” he said, coming back with the keys. “Why are you grocery shopping anyways? You can’t cook.”

Shoma shrugged. “I can microwave chicken nuggets.”

“Shoma! No,” Jason said, taking the keys back. “You know what the doctor said-“

“But I need them-“

“You need less sodium and more plant fiber-“

“I would rather starve than eat another salad, Jason, you keep feeding me salad. You’re going to kill me-“

“I’m keeping you from poisoning our children with your terrible diet-“

Shoma snatched the keys with a cry of triumph. “Too slow, bye!” he said, then turned to run away. “Love you, see you later!”

Jason huffed and rolled his eyes. When he turned back around, Brian looked very confused and Yuzuru was laughing so hard he seemed unable to breathe. “Sorry. He’s refusing to eat any more vegetables until I let him buy chicken nuggets,” he said, rolling his eyes.

“Dear God, how is that kid such a good figure skater with his diet?” Brian asked, shaking his head. 

“Jason is just as bad,” Yuzuru pointed out. “He keep suitcase of snacks during competition. You do not know this?” he asked, and Jason glared at him when Brian groaned in frustration.

“I hate young people. I really do. I look at a burger and gain ten pounds and you carry around a _suitcase of snacks_ and have those abs?” Brian asked, shaking his head. “Alright, both of you, back to the ice!”

Jason shoved Yuzuru playfully as they skated out. “Snitch.”

“Fatty,” Yuzuru countered, then giggled and squealed when Jason tried to shove him again, ending in a chase around the ice that had Brian yelling at them until he turned red.

~

When Jason got home, Shoma was in the kitchen, standing at the counter eating chicken nuggets. “Don’t judge me,” Shoma said with a grumpy little pout. “I’m pregnant. It’s your fault I’m like this.”

Jason smiled and shook his head as he went to get a water from the refrigerator. It was nice to him that even if he didn’t get Shoma pregnant, all those things people said, like ‘you gave me my children’ and ‘it’s your fault I’m like this’ still applied since Shoma wasn’t going to keep them before Jason offered to be their dad. When he drank some of his water and then walked over to Shoma, he wrapped his arms around him from behind, rubbing his belly. “Mmmmm. My three babies,” he sighed and Shoma snorted around his chicken nugget. “How many of those have you eaten?”

“Seven,” Shoma said shamelessly, dipping his nugget in the sauce on the plate. “And I’m gonna finish the other three, too. And then in a few hours, because I know it stresses you out, I’ll eat the gross vegetables you cook for dinner,” he said in the tone of a man walking to the gallows. 

Jason rested his cheek against Shoma’s hair. “It’s for your own good, Sho. It’ll make our babies grow healthier and keep you healthy, too.” He kissed his hair. “I love you and want to take care of you.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Shoma mumbled with his mouth full. “If you really wanted to take care of me, you would rub my feet and give me a blowjob.”

Jason snorted and kissed him on the jaw. “You’re not at all shy about how horny pregnancy makes you,” he teased.

Shoma snickered. “My hormones are worse than puberty. I can just be sitting there watching TV and suddenly get an erection and I’m like ‘what the fuck, I’m not turned on by Attack on Titan!’” Jason burst out laughing and pressed his forehead into the side of Shoma’s neck. “It’s serious! I wear sweatpants everywhere I go, I’m going to be buying pretzels and suddenly get hard in public!”

“I love you so much,” Jason giggled. “Oh Shoma. I’m so sorry pregnancy is hard.”

Shoma sighed and leaned back into his chest. “Yeah, well. I didn’t think it would be easy, and when I found out it was twins I knew it would suck sometimes. But, it is what it is. Our children are worth it.” He finished up his chicken nuggets and wiped the crumbs off his hands. “So,” he drawled, looking up at Jason with hooded eyes. “About that blowjob…” He took Jason’s water and drank some of it and Jason just rolled his eyes.

“Yeah, okay.” He kissed Shoma’s neck, sucking just a little bit to make him whimper. “I’m always happy to make you moan for me,” he purred.

Shoma smirked. “You’re so easy for me,” he teased.

Jason hummed, sucking lower on his neck as he raised a hand to tease Shoma’s nipple through his shirt. “Of course I am. Have you seen yourself? My husband is definitely gorgeous.” He smiled when Shoma’s breath got a little heavier. He rocked his hips into Shoma’s ass. “Mmmmm, Shoma,” he moaned, knowing just how to rile Shoma up. 

Shoma moaned softly. “Jason, bed.”

“Definitely bed,” he said, and then grabbed Shoma’s hand, tugging him along. Shoma giggled and ran ahead of Jason, both of them running across the living room to their bedroom. 

When they got inside, it was obvious Shoma wasn’t in the mood for teasing anymore, because he had his shirt and pants off before Jason could even get his shirt off. Jason watched as Shoma climbed onto the bed and turned around to face him with eagerness in his eyes. “Come on, off,” he said, nodding at Jason’s pants.

Jason chuckled. “So demanding,” he said, then made a show of slowly untying the string and sliding them down his thighs. Shoma watched with his bottom lip between his teeth, palming himself through his boxers. Jason walked over to him and leaned in to kiss him, and then kissed down his throat, pausing at his chest to suck on a nipple and earn a whine, and then continuing down, pausing to give his babies kisses, before finally sitting on his knees. He tugged at Shoma’s boxers until Shoma lifted his hips and let him pull them off. He then pushed Shoma’s thighs apart and immediately attacked the soft skin of his inner thigh. 

“Jason!” Shoma moaned, clutching at the hand on his knee as he leaned back to brace himself on his other hand. Jason moaned into Shoma’s delicate skin because he loved Shoma’s thighs and Shoma loved him loving his thighs. Shoma had strong, thick thighs like any skater, but his skin was so soft it was like velvet under Jason’s lips and tongue. “Unnnnnnng, right there,” he panted, and Jason dug his teeth gently into a sensitive spot. He started stroking Shoma’s erection with his free hand as he moved to the other thigh, lavishing it with attention, too. Shoma basically never was without bruises on his thighs after Jason learned how fun it was to make him shake with pleasure. 

He pulled back and looked at the beautiful love bites on Shoma’s gorgeous thighs and he smirked at his own work. He looked up at Shoma, who’s head was tipped back, and he shuffled closer. “I know what you really want, though,” he purred, and Shoma looked down at him as Jason leaned in. He held Shoma’s gaze as he licked the pearl of precum off of Shoma’s tip and gently pulled back his foreskin to expose the sensitive head. Jason flattened his tongue over the tip and licked before sinking down, holding Shoma’s gaze as he took him in. Shoma moaned, eyes fluttering shut. Jason sucked hard on his way back up and Shoma shivered. The little scrunch between Shoma’s eyebrows was how Jason knew Shoma wasn’t even sure how it could feel this good. Jason began to really put on a show, moaning as he sucked Shoma, making it clear he enjoyed the power he had over his husband like this. 

Jason wasn’t cocky, but he was the type to be invested in giving his lover pleasure, and Shoma was so easy to get reactions from. With Shoma, he hid nothing of himself during sex. Jason learned his body very fast, and Shoma knew just how to get Jason’s blood rushing. “Yes, just like that, just like that. Oh, Jason,” he moaned, licking his lips as he reached out and put a hand in Jason’s hair. Jason didn’t mind him tugging his hair, but Shoma mostly liked feeling of it. He liked the way it felt to sink his fingers into his curls. “Fuuuuuuck, that’s good. Yeah, like that,” he sighed. “I married the fucking champion of blowjobs, fuck,” Shoma whined, thighs already shaking on either side of Jason. 

Jason held his legs and let Shoma really guide him, going with Shoma’s pushing and pulling to let him find the perfect pace. Pregnancy made Shoma reach orgasm pretty fast, which he was embarrassed about at first, but Jason just reassured him it was nothing to be ashamed of. Especially when his refractory period was basically non-existent right now. Jason spent one night making Shoma come three times with just his fingers and mouth. 

Shoma tensed and whined. “Jason!” he cried out, and then came. Jason sucked him through it, fighting the urge to cough as he spilled inside his mouth, but Jason didn’t mind swallowing when it was his husband. He gently sucked Shoma until he whimpered and pushed at Jason as he became oversensitive. Jason pulled off and kissed Shoma’s thigh. Shoma let his arm give out and he flopped onto his back. “Guh.”

Jason stood up with a big smile. “You okay?” he asked, and Shoma laughed a bit hysterically. 

“Yeah, you could say that.” He flopped an arm over his eyes. “Gimme a minute, then I want you to fuck me.”

Jason snorted. “Shoma, you’re ridiculous,” he said fondly as he stood up. He sat on the bed beside Shoma, laying on his back to take off his boxers. He lay naked beside his equally naked husband, looking at his profile lovingly. “You’re also very beautiful,” he added.

Shoma smiled and turned to face Jason. “You’re one to talk,” he said. He sat up and then crawled up to the pillows. “Come on,” he said, tugging Jason’s hand. Jason followed him and flopped down beside him, wrapping his arm around Shoma as they lay face to face. Shoma kissed him sweetly, pressing his belly to Jason’s ribs. “I love you. I’m so glad we got married,” he said fondly. 

Jason beamed. “I know the feeling,” he said, hugging him close. “I didn’t realize how in love with you I am until I saw you standing there while my mom walked me down the aisle.”

Shoma beamed. “When we shared our vows, I realized every word was true. Yours and mine.”

Jason kissed him sweetly. “This is the best life I could have ever dreamed of, Shoma. Itsuki deserves a gift.”

Shoma frowned. “Itsuki? Also, ew, bringing up my brother while we’re naked together.”

Jason kissed his forehead. “I’ve never told you, but Itsuki asked me to stop you from having an abortion.”

Shoma looked at him suddenly, alarm on his face. “He what?”

Jason nodded. “He begged me, really. He knew that I could talk you out of breaking your own heart. And I loved you as my friend already so I agreed.”

“So you didn’t even _want_ this to start with?” Shoma asked suddenly, sitting up slowly. He looked upset. “You didn’t- I thought- when you offered-“ He looked hurt. “It wasn’t your idea at all?”

“No, no, Shoma,” Jason said quickly, sitting up with him. “I promise, my offer was my idea. I was trying to think of a way to keep you from making the mistake Itsuki begged me to save you from.” He kissed Shoma quickly. “Never, ever doubt whether I wanted this. It wasn’t a ‘this is the only way’, it was a ‘this is the best way’ choice. I promise you,” he urged. “I wanted this. I chose this because I wanted this. Our babies are everything to me and I never felt this was a burden. I sacrificed future decisions that would have _sucked_ , that’s all. Any decision that didn’t end in you and I married and pregnant with twins would be a horrible decision. I sacrificed mistakes, really,” he promised. He pushed Shoma’s bangs out of his eyes. “I love you. I love our babies. I wouldn’t want anything but this, you, me, and our babies.” He put a hand on Shoma’s stomach. “Please, please, don’t think I only did this because your brother wanted me to. I _wanted_ this. I wanted this family.” He smiled warmly. “I wanted to be a dad.”

Shoma looked him in the eyes for a long time and sighed. “Okay.” He bit his lip. “I will trust you, because you’re my husband and I love you.”

Jason nodded. “I promise you. This is real. Our love is real. Our family is real.” He wrapped his arm around Shoma and hugged him close. “Don’t ever doubt how happy I am, Shoma. This is the best experience of my entire life.”

The promise of sex was a mood broken, but as Shoma cuddled into Jason and let him hold him, he counted it as a win. Jason didn’t need sex, he just needed a happy husband and healthy children to make his life perfect.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It hasn't even been a whole day but I had to post this. I have been dying to see how you guys react to this one for A WHILE now. 
> 
> The plot twist will likely make you grab your torches and pitch-forks. Jijijiji

“You should name a baby after me,” Evgenia said as she tossed a cheeto for Shoma to try and catch with his mouth at the other end of the couch. 

“No,” he said, picking up the cheeto off his belly and eating it. “I no good with you name now,” he said flatly.

Jason watched them fondly from the kitchen. “We could always name them Eddy and Ginny,” he suggested, and Shoma glared over the back of the couch at him. 

“No,” he stressed.

Evgenia smiled and reached out to pat Shoma’s tummy. “It’s just so cute. You look like a grape with stick through one side,” she said and Shoma narrowed his eyes at her.

“Call fat and I will not let you touch,” he threatened, and Jason snickered. Shoma was really chill about letting their friends touch his belly. Everybody loved a baby bump. Shoma’s was getting _huge_. It made sense since he was very small and there were two babies in there. “Baby moving, here!” He grabbed her hand and pulled it around, and she beamed. 

“Ahhhh babies!” She did a little happy giggle. When the baby stopped moving, she took her hand back and looked down at her own stomach. “When I grow up, I wonder what I will look like with a baby?” She stuck her stomach our dramatically, and Jason snorted.

Shoma glared. “You two year younger!” he complained and she just laughed at his grumpy pout. 

“It is not my fault you decided to have babies young!” she teased, ducking when he threw a cheeto at her. 

“Alright, children,” Jason teased as he came back with their drinks. “Don’t be mean to each other. You’re my two favorite people in Toronto, you can’t fight or I will be sad!”

“She start it!” Shoma accused and Evgenia just looked at Jason with a mock-sad smile.

“You are married to a child-“

“Okay, no more belly for you!” Shoma decided and Evgenia whined and pouted until he gave in and let her touch his belly again. Jason smiled at him over her head and Shoma grinned back, winking at him. Jason blew him a kiss and Shoma laughed and shook his head at him, turning his attention back to his Cheetos. 

~

The more pregnant Shoma got, the more fat he got, too. He looked at his face in the mirror, glaring. “So we meet again,” he grumbled, looking at his once again chubby cheeks. He rubbed his face, whining. “Now I look like a pregnant child!”

“Sho? Who are you talking to?” He left the bathroom, heading back to the bedroom where Jason was already in bed.

Shoma sighed and crawled right onto Jason’s lap instead of into his side of the bed. “Me from three years ago,” he mumbled, pouting as he lay his head on Jason’s shoulder and hugged him.

“Um, okay?” Jason asked in confusion.

Shoma sat back and pouted at him. “Look at my face! It’s fat! I look like a twelve-year-old again! Worse, a pregnant twelve-year-old!” he whined. “People are going to think I’m a pregnant teenager!”

Jason clearly was trying not to smile but his eyes always showed his amusement. Shoma pouted at him again, and Jason finally gave up and laughed. “Shoma, you don’t look like you belong on 16 And Pregnant,” he said, though Shoma had no idea what that was. Jason pecked his pout and Shoma sighed, unable to keep pouting when his husband was being adorable. 

“I liked my cheekbones,” Shoma grumbled.

Jason kissed his cheek. “You’ll look all chiseled and handsome again after the babies come. You’re pregnant. Remember what the doctor said? You’re supposed to gain a lot of weight.”

“Yeah, I know,” Shoma sighed. “My ass is fat, my thighs are starting to jiggle, and I have a fat face. I’m going to be wider than I am tall.”

Jason grinned and slid his hands down Shoma’s back to grab his ass. “Your ass is big and sexy, just like always, and who cares if your thighs jiggle?” He slid his hands around to squeeze Shoma’s thighs. “Gives me something soft to squeeze when I’m sucking bruises on them.”

Shoma’s blood heated and he swallowed hard. “Congratulations, now I want you to do that. Right now.”

Jason laughed and rolled his eyes. “Barely flirt with you and you’re ready to go. Pregnant Shoma is fun,” he teased.

“Pregnant Shoma is already half-hard, and Pregnant Shoma wants his husband to do dirty things to him,” he said bluntly. He batted his eyelashes, playing up the ‘cute’ side of things. “You love me, right?”

Jason smirked and leaned in to kiss him, kneading his thighs as he did so. Shoma sighed into the kiss, sliding a hand into Jason’s hair. “I love you,” he whispered against Shoma’s lips, and then, in what Shoma thought was a very impressive show of strength, he rolled them over without landing on top of Shoma, laying him down against the pillows gently. 

“How am I so fat and you can still just move me around like it’s nothing?” Shoma asked, and Jason grinned.

“Let me show you,” he said, then sat up on his knees and peeled his shirt off over his head. 

Shoma moaned softly at the sight of Jason’s muscled torso. “Yeah, that’s why,” he said, reaching out to run his hand down Jason’s abs. “I want to lick chocolate off your abs.”

“I lied, pregnant Shoma is very weird,” Jason said with a laugh. He helped Shoma get his clothes off since his belly made him kind of a like a turtle on his back when he lay down. 

“I can’t believe you want to have sex with me when I look like this,” Shoma commented. “I’m getting stretch marks, I’m fat, and I’m extremely unable to do much but lay here and enjoy it, not reciprocate.”

Jason scoffed. “You mean why do I think the man _giving me children_ still has a perfect body?” He kissed Shoma’s belly as he wiggled down the bed to obey Shoma’s wish for attention to his thighs. “Also, maybe I kind of like doing all the work,” he added. “I get kind of cocky the way you moan for me,” he teased, and then Shoma lost sight of most of him as he ducked down and bit the inside of his thigh. Shoma moaned in surprise and felt his cock get even harder. “Just like that.”

Shoma closed his eyes – since his freaking massive belly made it impossible to see that far down without a pillow propping him up – and sighed, relaxing as he enjoyed Jason kissing and licking and sucking on his inner thighs. Shoma didn’t know why he had to be the one with a super weird turn-on, but he was very lucky Jason enjoyed giving him what he wanted. 

When Jason bit particularly hard while stroking him and he came with a cry, Shoma had to admit, the multiple orgasms during sex thing was at least somewhat of a perk to how incredibly not fun pregnancy was otherwise. He knew that that was just the first of at least two, because Jason was going to fuck him so good he cried. 

“So beautiful,” Jason murmured, kissing the swell of his belly before crawling over Shoma so he could kiss his lips. “How could you ever think I don’t find you beautiful?”

Shoma smiled and felt a wave of affection. “I love you,” he murmured, then opened his eyes to meet Jason’s beautiful brown eyes. “Also, I want you to fuck me,” he said in a low voice because he knew Jason was crazy for his ‘seductive’ voice. 

“Oh yeah?” Jason asked, and Shoma felt his erection brush Shoma’s thigh. Shoma lifted his thigh and gave Jason something to grind against. 

“Yeah. Slow and sweet,” Shoma added, raising a hand to brush across Jason’s stubbly cheek. “I want you to drive me crazy and take me apart with your cock. Make sure I never forget who gives me so much pleasure.”

“Mmmm, I love when you talk dirty to me,” Jason muttered, kissing his jaw and then moving to his throat. “How do you want it? Like this?” he asked, and Shoma nodded, whimpering when Jason sucked at a spot on his neck that always made him see stars. “I’ll have to not kiss you, with your belly. Is that okay?”

“Yeah, it’s fine. Just keep doing that while you prep me,” Shoma demanded and Jason moaned against his skin. 

“Not a problem.”

~

Jason didn’t know how Shoma could think he didn’t still find him attractive. Sure, he was pregnant and didn’t have six pack abs and cheekbones that could cut glass, but he was _Shoma_. Jason adored him. The expressions he made while Jason slid into him, his breathy moans, the sweat on his collarbones and the way he arched so beautifully even with a big belly, it was breathtaking. Shoma was sensual and erotic and Jason was always turned on by him. 

“Jason, Jason,” Shoma moaned, whining and arching his neck. “I’m so close.”

“I’ve got you,” Jason panted, holding Shoma’s spread thighs as he snapped his hips into him. “You’re so perfect. So good. Fuck, you feel amazing,” Jason babbled. Shoma was so hot and tight around his cock. He moaned, head thrown back, because he was so close. He looked down at Shoma just in time for Shoma to cry out and arch, gasping as he came all over his hand and his belly. Jason was forced over the edge by how tight Shoma got around him while he came, and he moaned breathlessly as he filled him. 

Shoma was panting and whimpering as he came down, eyes crushed shut and mouth hanging open. “Fuck,” Jason sighed, gently pulled out of him. Shoma made an unhappy sound and Jason shushed him.

“You’re okay,” he comforted. He sat back on his knees, boneless for a moment. “Oh, Shoma,” he sighed, rubbing his thighs soothingly. 

“If you keep hitting those fresh bruises, I’m going to get hard again, and I’m too fucking tired for that,” Shoma said in a grumpy tone.

Jason let go of his legs and laughed as he crawled off the bed. “You’re the only person who can sound grumpy after an orgasm,” he teased as he went to get something to clean up with. 

When he came back, however, Shoma was already asleep. Jason’s heart warmed and he shook his head. Shoma was so special and Jason couldn’t get enough of him. He cleaned him up gently, careful not to wake him, and when he got back to bed, he gently rolled him onto his side so he could cuddle up behind him and put a hand on his belly. “I love you, babies,” he whispered, rubbing Shoma’s baby bump lovingly. 

He felt a little bitty thump, like the baby knew Tousan was asleep but still wanted to tell Daddy hello.

~

Jason’s first competition was Autumn Classic International, and though Shoma wanted to come, the doctor advised against it since he was in the third trimester and twins were usually born early. Because of that, when Jason got a silver medal just behind Yuzuru and was asked to do some Team USA press, one of the first things they brought up was his impending fatherhood.

“So, we’ve talked about your medal, but we haven’t talked about the biggest win for you this year: you’re going to be a father!”

“Yes!” Jason said excitedly, clasping his hands together as he sighed dreamily. “My very pregnant husband, Shoma Uno, you might know him,” he joked, “Is at home right now because we’re having twins and he is in the third trimester, so the doctor said he shouldn’t fly.” He waved at the camera. “Hey, Shoma, hey Babies! Daddy loves his little babies!” He blew a kiss at the camera and giggled at his own antics. 

“What’s the plan for you guys? Your twins are coming soon, and the season is just starting. Has Shoma decided to take off the whole season or try to make a comeback for Four Continents and Worlds?” she asked.

Jason smiled. “Shoma plans to take this season off fully because even though we plan to both compete next season, we don’t want our children to have their first few months with one or both parents coming and going all the time. He’s been off the ice for a while now anyways, so he’ll have to recondition and get back into Olympic Medalist shape,” he joked. “But unless the birth of our children interrupts my Grand Prix season, I plan to compete the whole season.”

She smiled. “Oh obviously. I know the Grand Prix Final is your goal, but nobody could blame you for missing out to be there for your husband and children when they’re born.”

“I know, right?” he said, laughing. “I’m blessed to have such a wonderful husband and we’re so lucky to be starting our family together. It’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me, and no amount of medals is worth a moment of this happiness.”

She sighed. “Beautiful sentiment from a dad to be.”

“Thank you,” he said sincerely, smiling at the camera again. 

~

Getting the guest room ready as a nursery took a while, but they finally got all their stuff after the baby shower and they were ready. All that was left now was to pick names and prep Shoma’s baby bag for the hospital since twins could be born early and they didn’t want to have a single thing unplanned. Jason had even routed out the quickest way to get to the hospital from their apartment. They were both beyond ready for the babies to come, especially poor Shoma, who did, as Evgenia once said, looked like a grape with a toothpick through the side. 

All their careful planning ended up being for naught in the worst way possible. 

~

 

Shoma didn’t know what happened. He had felt some pain in his stomach all morning, but didn’t think anything of it. Twins inside of his tiny torso meant he was always in pain and the tendons stretching near his hips in his lower belly were always prone to giving him sharp pains. But as he was coming back from the drink machine at the rink, he felt a wave of pain that made him stop and clutch his belly with a gasp, dropping his bottle of water. His first thought was that, this was it, this was him going into labor, because he was thirty-four weeks and the doctor said most twins came around thirty-five. He was filled with joy for about five seconds, before suddenly he saw spots and the pain increased. He looked down at his belly, only to have his eyes widen with fear when he saw that there was blood on the floor beside his shoe. He reached down and brought his hand back and paled, because that was blood. That wasn’t his water breaking, that was _blood_. He opened his mouth to cry out for help, but before he could take a step, the wave of pain that came over him made his vision narrow, and he fell to the ground, and barely managed to whimper the word ‘help’ before everything went black.

~

Jason started to wonder where Shoma was with their drinks, so he left the dance studio to go find him. He was really thirsty and Shoma getting sidetracked talking to someone would not be outside the realm of possibility now that he was getting better at English. Jason didn’t have a single second of worry until he came around the corner and saw the last thing he ever feared he might find.

Shoma was laying in the middle of the hall unconscious with blood on the floor beneath him. “SHOMA!” he screamed, running to him and falling to his knees. He thought maybe he had fallen and hit his head, but when he saw the blood wasn’t from his head, he actually did scream, horror filling him at the thought that something was happening to his husband and his children. “NO! GOD NO!” He touched Shoma’s face and looked at how deathly pale he was. “No, no, no, no,” he sobbed, leaning down to listen for Shoma’s heartbeat. It was there but it was weak. “Shoma wake up! Shoma?!” He touched his belly and felt for the babies to move, but they weren’t moving. “No!” he sobbed raggedly, shaking Shoma gently. “Shoma. No, no no, this isn’t happening, oh God, no.”

“Jason?!” Jason picked his head up, panicking. “Are you okay-“

“HELP ME!” he shouted at the top of his lungs. Jun came running around the corner, and when he saw Jason kneeling beside Shoma, he gasped, hands flying to his mouth. “Call an ambulance!” he cried, then carefully moved Shoma, pulling him into his lap so he at least wasn’t on the cold floor. “Shoma wake up. Please wake up. Please be okay. Babies, please be okay,” he sobbed, holding him as he rocked back and forth. He couldn’t think. He couldn’t breathe. He was living his worst nightmare and all he could do was cry.

Jun was on the phone, calling for help when a door banged open somewhere. “Who screamed?!” Tracy called, and Jason looked up, sobbing and helpless as he held his limp husband, unable to think about anything but prayers that his children weren’t dead and his husband wasn’t dying. “JASON!” she cried, running over and Brian wasn’t far behind. “Oh God,” she gasped when she got to him and saw the situation. “Okay, okay, breathe, Sweetheart,” She urged, kneeling on the other side of Shoma, putting her hands on Jason’s shoulders, locking eyes with him. “Breathe. You’re no good to them if you hyperventilate and pass out.” Jason cried just as hard but at least he didn’t feel as alone with Tracy talking to him.

Brian took the phone from Jun and started explaining the situation in more coherent English. “The Toronto Cricket and Curling club, yes. I’ve got a young man pregnant with twins found unconscious and bleeding, I’m assuming pregnancy complications. He’s in the third trimester and was otherwise healthy. Yes, I’ll meet them at the door and lead them to him,” he said, walking away quickly to head to the nearest entrance to the parking lot. 

Jason just cried harder, looking down at Shoma’s unnaturally pale face. “Please, Shomaaaa,” he sobbed, leaning over him weakly, even as Jun came to sit beside him and hug him and Tracy continued to talk to him, tears on her face as she watched him fall apart. He couldn’t think, though. He couldn’t breathe. He just held Shoma and cried and heard nothing else she said to him at all.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I thought about making you wait or doing April Fool's and posting a fake that just said "and then they died" but I decided to be nice.

When they got to the hospital, Jason had mostly overcome his utter breakdown, because in the ambulance they told him it seemed most likely to be a placental abruption, meaning that Shoma’s blood loss and heart rate could cause the twins to be short of oxygen. They found the heartbeats easily and they sounded okay, so the twins weren’t dying yet, but they would have to get Shoma immediately into surgery to get the twins out before that could happen. Knowing what was happening and getting over the initial horrific shock was helpful. 

He was soothed a bit more when they got into the hospital and to the maternity floor and Dr. Talbot was waiting on them, already in surgical scrubs. “Okay, let’s get him into five,” she instructed, and nurses immediately took over transporting him. “Jason, just hang in there,” she said, nodding to him as she followed them. “This happens. I’ve handled it before. I’m going to have the twins out in as soon as possible and take care of Shoma. Just hang in there, okay?”

He nodded. “Okay,” he said faintly.

She gave him a sympathetic look. “The hardest part is this: You can’t be there. In an emergency c-section like this, I can’t let there be family in the room. There is too much riding on the nurses and doctors having full room and not getting tangled up.”

Jason’s eyes widened. “But- but I-“

“I know, and I’m sorry, but that’s how it is. Now I’m going to go in there. Call whoever you need to call and wait here,” she said, disappearing through the same doors they took Shoma through.

Jason stood there, watching the doors swing shut, and realized he was actually going to miss the birth of his children in order for the doctors to save them and his husband’s lives. 

~

Jason sat in a chair and looked at the blood on the knee of his pants as he waited for his parents to answer the phone. “Jason! Hey, what’s the news? How’s the family?” his father asked as he answered.

Jason felt how hollow he sounded before he even spoke. “Dad. Get Mom.”

“J-Jason?” He could hear Jason’s voice and then immediately Jason heard a flurry of movement and footsteps like his dad was running through the house. “Marla! Marla, it’s Jason!”

“Jason!” He heard her louder when his dad put it on speaker. “We weren’t expecting a call today, what’s up?”

“Marla-“

“Mom, Dad, s-something has happened,” he said, voice weak and shaky. “We’re at the hospital. I- I’m sitting in the hall while they- they try to save my babies,” he croaked, voice breaking as he started to cry softly again.

“Oh God, no, what’s wrong?!” she asked.

Jason whimpered. “They said- they said it’s called placental abruption. The- the placenta detaches too early and it causes bleeding. Sometimes it’s not bad but it- it was bad. Oh God, I found Shoma lying on the floor in the hallway in a pool of blood, oh my God, I thought- I thought he was dead,” he sobbed. “They’re doing an emergency C-Section and I don’t even get to be there because they can’t have me in the way if they have to- to do something frantically. I guess the doctor didn’t want to say ‘CPR’ to my face, but I’m- I got the picture.”

“Shit, Jason,” his dad cursed. “What’s going to happen?”

“She’s getting the twins out as fast as possible so they can stop the bleeding and save Shoma. The EMT on the way said to the other that it kind of looked like a blood transfusion would be necessary. And they’re only thirty-four weeks, so even if they don’t suffer damage from the lack of oxygen, they’re going to be in the NICU for sure. I’ve read up on preterm birth since Shoma was born so early and so small.” He let out a soft sob. “My children might- might have health problems forever.”

“Jason, don’t go there,” his father said softly. “Don’t ‘what if’. Just wait. I know it has to be impossible, but just wait and take on whatever comes after it happens. One step at a time.”

He sniffled and laughed weakly. “Yeah, just like training,” he said tiredly. He whimpered, looking at that blood again. “I have his blood on my knee and I just keep seeing it over and over. I totally flipped out. Tracy was trying to calm me down, but I just- I just remember holding him and screaming,” he whispered. “I know Jun and Brian and Tracy were there, and I remember turning the corner and seeing him on the floor, but after that it’s just- just crying. And screaming. And praying.”

“Jason, I’m booking us the first flight there right now,” his mother said. “We’re gonna stay on the phone while we get our stuff and leave for the airport. Don’t think we’re leaving you alone.”

Jason nodded, even if they couldn’t see him. “I need- I need to call Itsuki. I can- I can wait until I know what’s going to happen, though. That’s an eighteen-hour flight. Whatever happens, he’ll only get here after it’s all over with.”

“Don’t worry. They’re going to be fine,” Steven urged, and Jason nodded slowly, sniffling as he stared at the blood on his knee. 

~

It hadn’t even been thirty minutes when the doors opened and Dr. Talbot came out. He blanched at the blood on her scrubs but she looked brighter than she did when she went in. “Shoma-“

“We’re still working on that,” she said apologetically. “We’re trying to keep him transfused and stop the bleeding without having to sacrifice any future chance of getting pregnant again,” she said, and Jason’s heart broke because Shoma already said when they were retired, he might want to get pregnant again. 

“That’s important to him,” Jason said softly. “But if it comes down to that or his life-“

“Yes, at this point, chances of him not surviving are very low,” she comforted. “However, the C-section was successful and both twins are being cared for. I thought you might want to come be in there with them while they’re being assessed.”

He nodded rapidly, a smile growing on his face even though he was still so scared. “Yes, please.”

~

Jason cried when he saw his children in incubators with all sorts of wires and tubes attached to them. “Hi, Babies,” he whimpered. “God, we don’t even have names picked yet,” he said to the nurse who brought him there.

He smiled comfortingly. “They’re okay, and you will have time to name them,” he urged. “Baby Girl over here is 1800 grams and Baby Boy is a whole 2 kilos,” he said. “For twins this early, they’re a good birth weight. We just have them on oxygen until we’re sure they can breathe well on their own. We haven’t tried feeding yet, but if they can’t feed on their own, we’ll give them feeding tubes for a little while. But it’s not as bad as you’re thinking,” he reassured. 

Jason laughed weakly. “I don’t even know how big that is. I’m American,” he joked. He leaned over the plastic to look down at their faces. “Hey, hey babies.” He looked at the nurse helplessly. “Can I touch them?” he asked.

The nurse nodded. “Yeah, actually, they’re well enough that if you want, we can go ahead and start with skin to skin contact to help them regulate their heat quicker.”

“I-“ He hesitated. “I want to, but my husband is still in surgery. I need to be able to go quickly if something happens,” he explained, and the nurse looked sympathetic.

“Then let’s try holding their hands,” he said, opening the little windows so Jason could reach in and hold one of each of their hands. 

Jason felt his daughter grasp his finger and let out a wet laugh. “Hey, Baby.” He reached in and held his son’s hand. “Daddy’s here. I’m right here,” he said warmly, ignoring how, with his hands busy, he couldn’t wipe his tears any longer.

~

When Shoma opened his eyes, his first thought was confusion because it was dark in the room but it was daytime. Then he remembered falling and blood and he tried to sit up, only to gasp in pain. He looked around and saw Jason’s parents leaned together and asleep in chairs on one side. He turned and found Jason sleeping with his head beside Shoma’s knee on the other. He realized then he was in the hospital. He looked down and his panic rose steeply as he realized his baby bump was much, much smaller. “J-Jason?” He heard the machine next to him start beeping more rapidly and realized it was his heart racing. “Jason!” he rasped out, his throat utterly dry and raw.

Jason startled and sat up, looking around, only to go wide eyed. “Shoma!” he sobbed, jumping to his feet so fast it startled his parents awake. He leaned over and kissed Shoma’s face, gently touching him. “Shoma,” he repeated, crying harder. “I love you. I love you, Shoma.”

“Where are my babies?” Shoma demanded, panicking. “Jason, what happened and where are my babies?”

“Hey, calm down,” Jason urged. “We’re in the hospital. You suffered a lot of blood loss. The placenta tore away from the uterine wall and-“

“Jason!” he cried in alarm, and Jason cursed. 

“Fuck, sorry. God, I’m terrible at this-“

“Oh for God’s sake, Son,” Marla said, then leaned over. “They’re fine. Shoma, the twins are fine. The twins are in the NICU and they’re fine.”

Shoma understood English far better than he spoke it these days, so he let out a whoosh of breath, closing his eyes. “Lead with that, Jason. You should lead with that!” he said to him in Japanese. 

“I’m sorry,” Jason said sincerely. “I just- God, Shoma. You don’t know how close to losing you I came,” he said, and Shoma stilled.

“Losing me?”

Jason nodded. “You lost so much blood so fast your body went into shock during the C-section. They had to use so much donor blood to finish the surgery and stop the bleeding. And even then, they were so close to having to just remove your uterus and end any chance of you having another baby.” Shoma felt himself pale and Jason shook his head. “But it’s okay! It’s okay. Dr. Talbot said you should be fine. You should be able to have another baby in the future. You’re fine now. The twins are fine. They’re so beautiful, Shoma. I still haven’t held them, but that’s just because I was waiting for news on you and then wanted to be here when you woke up.”

Shoma sighed in relief. “So we’re all okay?”

Jason nodded. “Dr. Talbot said in the morning she’ll explain to us exactly what happened and how long the babies have to be in the NICU. The nurse I talked with when I held their hands, he said they’re big for twins born so early. One is even a whole two kilograms. Google tells me they’re both over four pounds, and didn’t you say Itsuki was like four pounds and he was full term?”

Shoma nodded. “Yeah, Itsuki was around two kilograms when he was born. I wasn’t even a thousand grams and I was a single baby.” He smiled softly, relief flooding him. “Sorry I almost made you a single father.”

“Oh it’s not your fault. She said there’s no way to predict or prevent it.” He leaned close and pecked Shoma’s lips. “I love you. I don’t know what I would have done if I lost you.”

Shoma smiled sadly. “Carried on and did your best to raise our children. I know you would. But you don’t have to now. I’m still here.”

Jason bit his lip. “When I found you, I thought you and the babies were all gone and I thought my whole world was ending and I just- I never want to feel that ever again. Never.”

“Hopefully you never will,” Shoma soothed, holding his hand. 

Marla and Steven shared a look. “We’re going to go get a nurse and let her make sure Shoma’s alright now. Give you boys a few minutes alone.”

When they left, Jason shifted his chair as close as he could to Shoma’s bed and rested his chin on the railing beside his shoulder. “I’m never going to look at you and not feel like the luckiest man alive after even a taste of what it’s life without you,” he said sincerely. “I think I scarred Jun for life, actually. I can’t remember super clearly, but I’m pretty sure I was just on my knees, holding you in a muddle of blood, screaming and crying incoherently.”

Shoma grimaced. “Might have to name one of the babies after him. Take his mind off things,” he said, and Jason grinned. 

“We do have to name them now. They can’t keep labeling them Baby Girl and Baby Boy on everything. We didn’t even give them a last name. Should we hyphenate? Name them just Uno?”

Shoma shook his head. “I want them to be named Brown. Just Brown.”

Jason frowned. “What? Why? We can’t give your children just my name.”

“I don’t want to change my name because my brother and my career, but I’m part of the Brown family now,” he said seriously. “My family other than my brother rejected me. Even cousins won’t talk to me. Itsuki and the fact my name is ‘One’ in Spanish is all I care about Uno.” He touched Jason’s face. “I want them to have _our_ family name.”

Jason smiled softly. “Okay. The Brown family accepts,” he joked.

“In Japanese, Jun means ‘pure’. I wouldn’t mind my baby having that name as a second name,” he said, winking at Jason. “Even if you hate your second name, I like how Americans do that. I want them to have second names.”

Jason nodded. “Okay. So we have a little boy named Something Jun Brown. What about his first name?” he asked.

Shoma hummed. “Well, we have plenty of time to talk about it, don’t we?” He leaned his head closer so he was only inches away from Jason. “I only have one request for Baby Girl,” he whispered. “I want her second name to be Mihoko. She has loved me even when my own mother didn’t want me. I want to honor her this way.”

Jason nodded fondly. “Absolutely fine with me.”


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Time for the last chapter and the epilogue! I hope you guys enjoyed this fic. I really enjoyed writing it. 
> 
> Epilogue will be up in a few minutes!

The next afternoon, Shoma couldn’t go see the babies and the babies still weren’t ready to be brought to him, so Jason was in the NICU with them while Marla held his phone to video message with Shoma as Jason held them both against his chest. “They’re so tiny, Shoma,” Jason said, beaming down at his babies. “They said they’re able to eat on their own so they will grow faster. They’re still struggling body temperature, but holding them against my chest like this helps. Something about how body heat instead of the artificial warmth somehow stimulates their body to copy me.” He gently stroked each of their little backs. “I can’t wait for you to hold them, Shoma.”

Shoma sniffled, smiling brilliantly through his tears. "Me, either. I can't wait. The doctor said if it was just a C-section they would have me walking by tomorrow, but since they had to do more internal surgery, I can’t walk until the next day. I can’t go in a wheelchair until it’s safe for me to stand and walk a little. But day after tomorrow, I can go visit them,” he gushed. “I can’t wait to hold my babies. I feel so weird not having them right here inside where I can talk to them.”

There was a knock at the door and Shoma looked up, heart soaring when Itsuki stuck his head in. “Itsuki! Come look!” he said, holding the phone out. However, to his confusion, Itsuki looked nervous. “What’s-“ Shoma stopped and paled when Itsuki was shoved aside and his mother literally ran to him.

“Shoma!” she sobbed, leaning over to hug him gently, laying her head on his shoulder as she cried. “They said you almost died!”

Shoma frowned in confusion at Itsuki and got even more confused when his father came into the room as well. “Dad?”

He walked over, his face stoic but his eyes full of pain. “Are you okay?” he asked, and Shoma nodded slowly. 

“What- why are you here?” he asked. He looked at his mother as she lifted her face. “Mom, why are you here?”

She looked absolutely heartbroken. “Because you’re my son,” she whispered shakily. She raised a hand to touch his face. "I'm sorry. I’m so sorry. I- I regret everything we did and said. I regret everything,” she confessed. “I tried to ignore it for so long, and I’m so sorry I was too prideful and stubborn. But when Itsuki came screaming out of his room that he had to get to Canada on the first flight out because you almost died, I thought- I thought ‘what if I never see him again’ and it hit me that no matter what, I was wrong. You’re my child. Your father and I- we- we did everything wrong. And I’m so sorry.”

His father leaned over and grabbed his wrist. “We read every email. We looked at every photo. I’m sorry, Shoma. I’m sorry for everything.”

Shoma just stared at them in shock until he heard Jason speak English on the phone that still lay limp in his hand. “Mom, go to him. I’m fine here. He needs you.”

He picked the phone up and Marla was looking at him. “Sweetheart, are you alright? I’m coming.”

Shoma nodded. “Mom, please come,” he said and his parents both looked shock at him speaking English, especially calling Marla ‘mom’. But last night Jason’s parents convinced him he could call them ‘mom’ and ‘dad’, too, since he was their son, too.

Itsuki looked at him after he hung up. “Are you sure you don’t want to talk to mom and dad alone?”

Shoma swallowed hard and looked at his parents with all the hurt he felt for months surely on his face. “I love you and I’m happy you came. But I can’t just- just forgive you so easily. I need the woman who has been a mother to me for my whole pregnancy here,” he said, and he felt bad that his mother flinched, but it was true. Marla and Steven were so kind and loving and caring and they treated him like their own family. His parents’ confessions were everything he wanted to hear, but right now, he was too confused and shaken to go through the conversation they needed to have alone. 

When Marla came in a few minutes later, he looked at her with wide, tear-filled eyes. “Mom,” he whispered, and she crossed the room to take his hand. He held it and looked at her. “I just- I want-“ He swallowed, struggling with his English. “Need family now,” he said, and she nodded, settling on the bed beside his hip, holding his hand.

“I’m here, Shoma.” She looked over at his parents on the other side of the bed with a cold smile. “Hi. You must be Shoma’s parents.”

Itsuki cleared his throat. “I can translate,” he offered, standing at the foot of the bed.

“Thank you, Sweetie,” she said, smiling at him fondly. “It’s so good to see you again, Itsuki,” she added.

“Thank you, Mrs. Brown.” He nodded. “My parents, they kind of realized the error of their thinking when they heard Shoma almost died. We came as soon as we could.”

“I’m happy to hear that,” Marla said and Shoma could see she really meant it. “Shoma needs the love and support of his _whole_ family, not just us.”

Shoma looked at his mother, who looked at Shoma with a heartbroken look in her eyes. “I guess it’s our fault, isn’t it? We shouldn’t have done what we did. I-“ She hesitated. “I’m happy you found home somewhere else.”

Shoma’s bottom lip wobbled. “I am, too,” he confessed. “I love you and I missed you both so much and I miss home, but I- I have children here. I have a life here. I’m going to be training here at least next off-season. I worked out a deal for ice time at a local rink and Mihoko is going to come spend a few weeks, then find a coach to substitute for her and use Skype, like Nathan Chen does.”

His father looked pained. “So you’re never coming home?”

Shoma shrugged. “My husband is here. My children are Canadian. Maybe some day we’ll move to Japan, I’m sure Jason would love that, but not until after Beijing for sure. I’m- I’m part of _this_ family,” he said, squeezing Marla’s hand. “You my family,” he said, looking at her, and she smiled sadly.

“We’re all your family, Shoma. Your parents love you, I’m sure. Don’t think you can’t have both.” She patted his hand. Itsuki explained and she nodded. “You are here for now. But maybe someday, you can take your family back home to your mother and father. We don’t mind flying an extra twelve hours to see you, you know? Just because you choose this life now doesn’t mean you can’t add Japan to that. You know us, we Browns love Japan,” she reminded him and he beamed.

“I know. You even add three Japanese to family,” he joked. He looked at his parents. “I am happy to see you. I’m happy you came to make sure I’m okay. I- I want you to meet my husband and my children,” he said softly. “I want my twins to have their _whole_ family,” he added.

His mother smiled softly and nodded. “I- I want to meet my grandchildren.”

Shoma smiled. “They probably won’t let you guys in there right now, since you’ve just got off a plane, but if you guys shower and put on the paper scrubs they gave Jason, they might let you in to meet them.”

“We want that,” his father said softly, putting a hand on his wife’s shoulder. “But right now, we just want to- to catch up with you. We want to know what we missed while we were neglecting you.”

Shoma smiled sadly. “A lot. You missed a whole lot,” he said softly. He held Marla’s hand for strength and nodded to them. “Where do you want to begin?”

~

Jason got to push Shoma in a wheelchair to the NICU to see his babies for the first time. Shoma was being told to walk around now, but he was also still on an IV so he couldn’t go far as he had to take his IV stand with him. Because of that, the trip to the NICU was via wheelchair. “I can’t wait for you to touch them. They’re perfect,” he said fondly. He kissed the top of Shoma’s head.

“Ew, Jason, I haven’t washed my hair in days, don’t do that,” he said, and Jason smiled down at him.

“I love you, I don’t care how gross your hair is,” he promised. When they let him in, the nurses all looked at him with smiles. 

“Mr. Uno, are you ready to meet your babies?” the main Nurse caring for them said warmly. 

Shoma nodded up at him. “Cannot wait.”

Shoma wasn’t in any shape to take his top off and try the skin to skin contact like Jason just yet, but he could hold his babies one at a time still. Jason, however, undid the paper scrubs to expose his chest and the nurse handed the first baby to him to hold against his skin. Jason sat down right beside Shoma, angling the baby to him. “This is Baby Girl,” he said, and Shoma’s eyes filled with tears as he looked at her tiny face. 

“Oh my God,” Shoma whimpered. He reached out to put a hand on her little back. “She’s so little,” he cried. “Jason, are you sure it’s okay to be holding her?”

“Yeah, she’s a big girl,” Jason cooed, gently rocking back and forth. “She’s breathing well already. They keep her in the oxygen rich incubator for now, but she’s not on a breathing machine. And she’s not on a feeding tube. They said she’s feeding right now, but if she needs extra help, they will put her on one. They said she’ll be just fine once she gains some weight and her body regulates better.” He smiled at Shoma. “Ready to hold her?”

Shoma nodded rapidly. Jason carefully passed her to Shoma, and Shoma took her into his arms as if he’d always known exactly how she wanted to be held. He smiled down at his daughter and fought back tears. She blinked up at him slowly and he laughed. “You’re so beautiful. I love you so much. Tousan loves you _so_ much,” he told her, gently stroking her little cheek. 

“And this is our baby boy,” Jason said, receiving their son. He smiled at Shoma as he cradled their son close. “Hold her longer and you can have him after that. She’s probably missed her Tousan. She’s used to your voice and your warmth. Baby Boy will get his turn in a little while,” he said, and Shoma nodded, looking down at his little baby.

“I love you both so much,” he whispered lovingly. “And you, too,” he said to Jason, who just smiled back.

“I know, Shoma. I know.”

~

“Hi, everybody!” Jason beamed as he greeted the camera. “I know you guys were probably expecting a Post Skate America vlog, since I won a silver and my first Grand Prix medal of the season, but instead, this is the official welcome video to my beautiful family!”

The screen showed a photo flicker montage of Shoma’s baby bump as it grew every two weeks so that it was like an animation of his belly getting bigger from fifteen weeks all the way until days before their birth and thirty-four weeks. It then showed two babies inside of incubators before changing to a scene of Shoma in a hospital bed, waving at the camera with pale skin and tired eyes, and then changed to Shoma and Jason both shirtless as they sat side by side in the NICU holding a twin each against their chest to help their temperatures. 

It came back to Jason talking in front of his camera in their apartment. “At thirty-four weeks pregnant, on September twenty-third, Shoma suffered what’s called a placental abruption. Basically, without getting all medical, there was damage that caused him to suddenly start bleeding heavily from the womb. It was…” Jason hesitated, swallowing hard. “It was the scariest day of my life, if I’m honest. I found my pregnant husband unconscious and bleeding and thought this is it, my family is over, my life is over, the world is ending, basically,” he said, voice hoarse. “But thankfully, that didn’t happen. We got him to the hospital, they delivered the twins via c-section, they did surgery on Shoma and fixed him, and even better, the babies were big for twins that early, so they only spent three weeks in the NICU before we could bring them home.” He rolled his eyes. “Shoma insisted, since he was fine and the babies were only there until they were big enough and healthy enough to come home without risking complications, I had to keep training. He pushed me to go to the rink every day even when I just wanted to sit in the NICU with my children, because, and I quote, “If I can’t win the Grand Prix Final, you better”,” he said giggling. “A week before Skate America, we got to bring our twins home. Leaving them to go to Las Vegas literally was harder than winning silver there,” he said with a small smile. “But I’m glad I went in the end. My parents came to stay with him and help out while I was gone, and Shoma’s brother is living with us for a little while to help with the babies.” He bit his lip and then grinned. “Ready to meet them?”

The camera cut to a different set up with Shoma and Jason sitting side by side on the couch, each holding a baby. “Hello,” Shoma said in Japanese. “I’m Uno Shoma, and I thank everybody for the well wishes when the news of my unfortunate situation came out. However, I am healthy and our children are, too.” 

Jason beamed at him and then faced the camera. “And without further ado, we want all our friends and all our fans to meet our perfect bundles of joy. This is Hana Mihoko Brown,” he said, holding up the baby in his arms so the camera focused on her straight brown hair and dark eyes, as well as her chubby cheeks just like her Tousan.

Shoma beamed. “And this is Benjamin Jun Brown,” he said, presenting their son to the camera. He looked _exactly_ like Shoma, even more than Hana. 

“We’re calling them Benji and Hana, and their middle names are tributes to people we love very much. Jun is like a baby brother to me, and Mihoko-sensei is one of the most important people in the world to Shoma. They both cried when we told them their names,” he joked. “Anyways, we can’t be happier about these wonderful tiny humans we brought into the world,” Jason gushed. “We haven’t slept in weeks, and it’s still the best time of my whole life.”

Shoma laughed. “Yes, sleep is definitely impossible. Even if I hadn’t had surgery and pregnancy, I would be a terrible skater right now because I can barely keep my eyes open most of the time and babies keeping me awake only makes it worse.” Jason laughed and translated that part. 

“Thank you all for so much support, and please keep supporting Team Shoma/Jason/Benji/Hana!” Jason gushed, and then leaned over to kiss Shoma’s cheek, making him blush and giggle at him, which only made Hana start crying. “Oh no, I guess that means it’s time to go, bye guys! Hana, say bye-bye,” he said, making her wave her little hand.

Shoma made Benji wave his little hand too, beaming down at his baby with the glowing, perfect look that only a parent could manage for their child. The scene ended with Jason watching that expression with the most loving look on his face he could manage. Together, the four of them looked exactly like the picture perfect, gloriously happy family that they were. 

Jason was right. The were a team. And they would always be a team. Together.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so it ends. Thank you all for keeping up with this fic and thank you so much for being amazing.
> 
> Biggest thanks ever goes to my wonderful editor. Thank you so much, T!

_Epilogue_

As Shoma stood atop the podium at his second – and final – Olympics, he looked through the sea of faces for just two. Jason swatted his arm from the step below him, beaming at him. “Shoma, there!” he said, pointing to a spot in the crowd. 

Shoma followed his hand and, sure enough, there in the stands, was Itsuki, his mother and father, Jason’s mother and father, and in the middle of it all, their twins, looking very enthusiastic about all the shouting around them, even if they had no idea what was going on at only two years old. Shoma waved to them and Jason did the same, and when Hana waved back, Shoma clutched his chest as tears spilled down his face. Benji saw her waving, then looked at them and waved too, both of them smiling brightly. 

Shoma looked at Jason, who reached out and grabbed his hand, smiling back with tears shining in his eyes, too. They faced their children and blew kisses that made the crowd go wild, especially those near their family who saw what was happening. “One day, they’ll watch this video and hate our guts,” Jason said from his side, and Shoma laughed and nodded.

“And I’ll watch this and cry for the rest of my life,” he said, and even though they were standing there on Olympic ice, waiting for the medals to get to them, Shoma leaned over and nearly fell off his top step so he could kiss his husband, the eyes of the whole world be damned. 

Jason just caught him and held him so he didn’t fall, his toes barely skimming the podium as Jason held his weight, breaking the kiss to laugh forehead to forehead. “Talk about drama,” he teased, pushing Shoma back up onto his step.

“The best kind,” Shoma agreed, swinging their hands, refusing to let go for anything, even the medals arriving in front of them.


End file.
